Thread: Who are the big names in Turkey?

I may be working with a Turkish businessman in this country who wants to bring over top dancers from around the world. He was shocked when I said I knew a lot of Egyptian, American and European dancers but no Turkish names. I felt pretty ashamed myself to be honest

But then I realised, I never see references to top Turkish names. They don't seem to travel to teach or perform, or if they do, I don't know about it. And I don't see any Fan Forum references to great Turkish stars here on Bhuz.

Does anyone know who the current greats of Turkish dance in Turkey are right now.

And any idea why they have such a low profile internationallly?

Reyhan Tusuz

Yes, Reyhan definitely
Didem
Tulay Karaja ws THE best for me but she retired. I hear her neice took over?
Elcin
NOT Zumre in my opinion.
Sema Yildiz

thinks ... missing a lot out here I think ...

any other takers??? help me out here I'm airbrushing a bump here too so gotta run xx

AS for why they ahve a low profile, I think that this country has had an Egyptian-styled bias for a long time. The main original teacher from our way (Marion Watson) taught Egyptian style, Jo Wise is Egyptian style, Wendy Buonaventura is Egyptian Style, the School of Raks Sharki is Raks Sharki I assume, not Danse Oryental.

But things are are definitely changing. My Turkish workshops sell out and the ones at Afra's last festival sold out too I think.

I reckon that if you get some over using this contact of yours the workshops would sell out and I would definitely be there so please can I put my name down first beg beg!! And once those Turkish dancers get a taste of travelling to teach and earn money I think we'll see a lot more of them.

Good luck with it and let us know if you pull it off!

Originally Posted by Freddie

AS for why they ahve a low profile, I think that this country has had an Egyptian-styled bias for a long time.

But it's not just the UK - you never see anything here on Bhuz either. Look in the fan forums and there's virtually nothing. And you don't see mention of Turkish dancers teaching workshops in the US even though US bellydance is historically much more Turkish influenced ..c::

The Big stars now in Turkey are Didem, Asena, Tanyeli and Reyhan who won the oriental star contest.

They are on tv a lot, everyone knows them, they are very good and each have their own style.

A wonderful , wonderful great Turkish dancer is Nesrin Topkapi, who is a great and graceful dancer popular at the end of 1970's -early 1980's.
She is still teaching and she did make special appearances on tv last new years eve and also during the oriental star contest.

Tulay Karaca is the best Turkish dancer ever along with Nesrin Topkapi, but she retired and will never come back. Her niece had also retired , but I heard last winter she was making a come back.

Personaly I also like Hale Sultan , Sema Yildiz and Reyhan Tuzsuz.

Zumre and Elcin are really not anywhere as good as the other dancers mentioned above.

It is a shame that we really never hear about the great Turkish dancer but most people just dont want to know much about what is not Egyptian.

Tanyeli, Asena, Nesrin Topkapi, Sema Yildiz, Prenses Banu, Tulay Karaca, Didem, Birgul Beray

These are the names I'm familiar with:
Previous Generation: Nesrin Topkapi, Princess Banu, Özcan Tekgül, Sema Yildiz,

Newer Generation: Asena, Didem, Reyhan and Tanyeli.

I heard about an amazing Turkish male dancer once, but I can't remember his name any more.

Originally Posted by amiraates

Tanyeli, Asena, Nesrin Topkapi, Sema Yildiz, Prenses Banu, Tulay Karaca, Didem, Birgul Beray

Oh yeah, Tulay and Birgul too!

AS for why they ahve a low profile, I think that this country has had an Egyptian-styled bias for a long time. The main original teacher from our way (Marion Watson) taught Egyptian style, Jo Wise is Egyptian style, Wendy Buonaventura is Egyptian Style, the School of Raks Sharki is Raks Sharki I assume, not Danse Oryental.

Yeah, I can trace my dance lineage back to Suraya Hilal on pretty much every teacher I've had (no throwing rocks please people ). Don't get me wrong, I love my Egyptian but I also love Turkish Roma music and style and would really welcome more of a chance to develop that side of my dance.

That "amazing Turkish male dancer" you're heard about is probably . . . Ahmet Ogren! He has a Bhuz account under the name "Gypsyahmet."
Rosette

here is a link to 2 Nesrin Topkapi videos i had posted a while ago:
http://www.bhuz.com/forum/belly-danc...nesrin+Topkapi

There is a thread with a few of Ahmet videos here, I forgot him in my list, I was just thinking about women dancers , he is a great teacher.
the thread is appearing right below this one at the moment.

and lauren had started another Turkish roman thread, more videos with both reyhan's
http://www.bhuz.com/forum/music-trad...=turkish+roman

Originally Posted by CharlotteDesorgher

But it's not just the UK - you never see anything here on Bhuz either. Look in the fan forums and there's virtually nothing. And you don't see mention of Turkish dancers teaching workshops in the US even though US bellydance is historically much more Turkish influenced ..c::

You're right there and it is strange. OK then girls, let's get a Turkish thread going on the fan forum and see what happens. We may be able to get a better idea of how many Bhuzzers like it, and which dancers they prefer out of the current crop. Post links to good, bad and funny Turkish youtube videos.

I definitely feel a move towards Turkish in the UK and I welcome it. If you are intending on bringing anyone over I remember a recent thread describing the financial dire straits that Reyhan and her family are in after having to leave their home. There's someone who could do with the money so if she's anywhere near as good at teaching as she is at dancing I think you'll have a success on your hands. She is extremely popular and her Rroma is to die for.

Turkish male dancer Alex

Originally Posted by Rosette

That "amazing Turkish male dancer" you're heard about is probably . . . Ahmet Ogren! He has a Bhuz account under the name "Gypsyahmet."
Rosette

Ahmet is pretty awesome, but no I don't think it was him. This was a male Oriental dancer, that was really known for his Oriental, and Ahmet, isn't he more known for his Rrom. This particular dancer also worked part time in Turkey and part time in Germany.

I will probably never remember his name.

I have a playlist of a bunch of Turkish Dance on youtube here:

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

As much as I love Reyhan Tuszuz and I've taken from her and highly recommend her, keep in mind she is not an Oriental dancer, she is Rroma and does Rroman dance only. She isn't a professional performer and shouldn't be confused with the other Reyhan in Turkey who is a professional Oriental dancer (who also happens to be Rroma). Reyhan Tuszuz is a wonderful Rroma woman who was discovered and sought out by many American dancers for training because she is a great dancer and the real deal when it comes to Turkish Rroman.

I feel like some of the more modern Turkish dancers are now dancing to Arabic music. How would one classify a Turkish dancer who does Egyptian style dancing?

My favorites (and I haven't seen a lot, so I'm sure I'm missing tons) are: Reyhan Tuszuz for Turkish Rom, and Birgul Beray, Tulay Caraja, Sema Yildiz, Nesrin Topkapi...

Originally Posted by shems

I have a playlist of a bunch of Turkish Dance on youtube here:

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

Squee! Yay! Thank you for posting a playlist, Shems!

I definitely feel a move towards Turkish in the UK and I welcome it. If you are intending on bringing anyone over I remember a recent thread describing the financial dire straits that Reyhan and her family are in after having to leave their home. There's someone who could do with the money so if she's anywhere near as good at teaching as she is at dancing I think you'll have a success on your hands. She is extremely popular and her Rroma is to die for

Bring on Reyhan (not that I'm keen or anything)!

Mind you, I quite agree with Shems, the trouble with Turkish is distinguishing exactly what we mean by that - I always think of Roma because that is what I really like, but its not the B all and end all of Turkish dancing.

Oh wow! Bhuzzers come up with the goods big time as always!!

And a playlist! My cup runneth over!

I think the issue of never hearing about Turkish belly dance is that it is currently out of fashion. My first two belly dance teachers were mainly Turkish - one has her Masters degree from UCLA in World Dance and did her field work in Istanbul, the other is a French woman who learned from the Turks in the South of France - and much as I love the style, it is simply easier for me to find Egyptian style teachers. Not to mention finding more tours, etc., to Egypt than to Turkey. although I know of a great Hostel in the Holy Quarter which has a the only night club in the area and they feature belly dancers every night!

personally, I think variety is good.

{{{{HUGS}}}

Originally Posted by shems

I have a playlist of a bunch of Turkish Dance on youtube here:

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

As much as I love Reyhan Tusuz and I've taken from her and highly recommend her, keep in mind she is not an Oriental dancer, she is Rroma and does Rroman dance only. She isn't a professional performer and shouldn't be confused with the other Reyhan in Turkey who is a professional Oriental dancer (who also happens to be Rroma). Reyhan Tusuz is a wonderful Rroma woman who was discovered and sought out by many American dancers for training because she is a great dancer and the real deal when it comes to Turkish Rroman.

Thanks for posting that playlist, I've finished my bump airbrushing and have half an hour to kill before taking the kids out. Can't wait to hit that list!!

Also thanks v much re. the Reyhan clarification - this one has always confused me. Do you have clips of both Reyhan's in the list?

Re Turkish going out of fashion (another post, sorry can't remember who said it), it's never been IN fashion over here in the first place as far as I am aware. Time to embrace it methinks!

Someone else asked "what do you call a Turkish dancer who dances Egyptian style?" - my andswer would be an adventurer. As the world gets smaller the dancers from both countries will pick up bits that they like from each other and Oryental has long since been performed to Arab music as well as Turkish.

A friend once told me that the Egyptians look down on the Turkish dance. I told that to Rocky last night and she laughed and said that the Turks look down on the Egyptian dance. And the Lebanese too! It's a complicated history beset by the politics of Ataturk and the end of the Ottoman rule in Egypt but although there are similarities between the two, there are things that appear to be exclusive to each flavour too.

Not sure how to embed a youtube link but here is one of Tulay Karaca. It isn't the best performance I've seen but it's very Tulay and be warned, very 80's Turkish blue-screen graphics.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFWsjbigjw"]YouTube - Turkish belly dancer tulay karaca[/ame]

Originally Posted by Freddie

Not sure how to embed a youtube link but here is one of Tulay Karaca. It isn't the best performance I've seen but it's very Tulay and be warned, very 80's Turkish blue-screen graphics.

Yay! I have been having trouble finding you tube clips of her and hadn't seen this one.

thanks for the playlist, Shems. Out of your list, I found this clip to be intriguing. I never knew Turkish dancers used their arms like that. I always thought these were movements invented by the american dancers.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFV4ZmqCi_Q]YouTube - Birgül Beray 7[/ame]

Originally Posted by Freddie

AS for why they ahve a low profile, I think that this country has had an Egyptian-styled bias for a long time.

I find this to be true in many publications/websites I've read by Americans. How many times have you seen Egyptian described as more a refined dance than Turkish?

Has anyone mentioned Ozgen? I know he does some Rom and dances oriental (reminds me of a male didem).
Here's a clip:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHp5vg6HWvg]YouTube - ozgen - turkish gypsie(romani)dance[/ame]

Originally Posted by arielarielariel

I feel like some of the more modern Turkish dancers are now dancing to Arabic music. How would one classify a Turkish dancer who does Egyptian style dancing?

Actually, I've found that is nothing new. Look at the old clips of Nesrin Topkapi, even she is dancing to Egyptian music. I do not however think they are attempting to do anything near Egyptian style dancing, I think they are just commandeering some great songs. They are still dancing very much like the Turks they are in my opinion, even if they do venture to grab a cane occasionally.

Originally Posted by Freddie

Also thanks v much re. the Reyhan clarification - this one has always confused me. Do you have clips of both Reyhan's in the list?

I actually have a second more Rroman focused playlist with Ahmet featured heavily on it.

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.


And Here are the two Reyhans:

Reyhan Tuzsuz Rroman dancer only (not Oriental):

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqiOxO53o7c&feature=PlayList&p=ABE22F76A13 6D01D&index=21]YouTube - Reyhan ve Husnu Promo[/ame]


and Reyhan Oriental professional dancer (also Rroman and doing Rroman dancing in this clip):

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya1mBQxn3Pw&feature=PlayList&p=ABE22F76A13 6D01D&index=4]YouTube - Oryantal Star - Reyhan (Roman Havasi)[/ame]

Originally Posted by damariz

I find this to be true in many publications/websites I've read by Americans. How many times have you seen Egyptian described as more a refined dance than Turkish?

I think a big reason for this is because for a while, the only belly dance footage anybody could get coming out of Turkey seemed to be focused on the sex industry, with some of the most scant costumes ever and gyno cam shots. I think if Americans got a chance to see more real Turkish Oriental they'd have a very different feeling about it.

Here on the East coast, a lot of, I'd even venture to say most of the Vintage Oriental dance heritage is very Turkish oriented. All the New York clubs still play 9s in all their sets. I think the Turkish style did sort of have a hey day in America way back in the day. Think Najla Ates, who was a Turk, and the group that was popular back in her day:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucKDPh0uOjI]YouTube - Nejla Ates (Son of Sinbad , 1955)[/ame]

Didn't Ozel Turkbas and some other pretty famous Turkish dancers come and work in the USA?