Gönül

A term that doesn’t have a direct equivalent in English. Often described as the “house of the soul,” it’s where we hold our most intimate feelings — joy, grief, tenderness, connection. In Sufi philosophy, Gönül must be tended with care and kindness, and offered as a place of refuge for others. It’s through Gönül that we connect to the divine, and to each other. I’m drawn to how this idea resonates with what unfolds on the dance floor. A space where we move from the heart — not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. A place where Gönül can open, break, mend, and connect again. Where joy and sorrow are not opposites, but part of the same pulse. Where the body becomes a vessel for what the soul holds.