| TurkishBellydance World Teachers "Ozlem" |
Life opens up new visions and at the same time brings new difficulties
with each and every day passing by. Sweet or bitter, amongst what life brought Özlem,
dance is one of the dearest. It is alike literature, she affirms - it includes history, philosophy,
politics, deep and moving feelings, and intricate observations. It adds passion and sweat
and rigour and gaiety to that and there what comes into being is a phenomenon unique to
human beings: language...but this, language of the body.
Özlem was born and brought up in Turkey. Her passion for dance and oriental dance does
not emerge from any specific point in her life. She has always loved to dance. Having lived
in several different regions in Turkey has had an impact on her dance life. She is originally
from the small district of Bozdoğan of the Aegean town Aydın. Zeybek dance essential to
this region is her first passion which she defines as "blood stirring" despite its slow music
and heavy movements. (Note that Turkish Zeybek is quite different from Greek Zeybekiko in
style and in national and cultural significance) After spending her childhood in Bozdoğan,
she moved to Bilecik where Ottoman Empire was once established. Özlem is very fond of
history, and she had not realised the priviledge of having lived in that region until the time
she was living abroad. However, it was not the dreams of the harem but the traditional
Turkish Romany style dance that planted the love of Oriental Dance in her heart, while she
was living in Tekirdağ, a lovely Thracian town, famous for its Romany dance and Karşılama.
She learnt dancing the way it is danced traditionally. From folk dance spoon-playing to zills
(finger cymbals), a process sometimes spontaneous sometimes planned, producing the
vocabulary of this langauge by adding suitable technique to the moves she once learnt
fundamentally from her cheerful aunts. Oriental Dance gained a much deeper meaning for
her during her stay in Sweden. It started to represent a peaceful realm to avoid the
troubles of an "immigrant life". A realm she travels to when dancing, governed in hormony
by creativity, discipline and freedom together. After Stockholm, Özlem lived in Paris and
Athens and she now resides in Istanbul, immersing her soul in sweet sensation of Oriental
Dance.
Drop by if you are in her vicinity!
Özlem explored the other styles of Oriental Dance es well. She attended event and
activities to get to know more about Egyptian and Lebanese styles. She learnt the Turkish
Style from Sema Yıldız, the Turkish legend. She is still practicing contemporary dance and
folk dances under Aytül Hasaltun.
Özlem studied American Culture and Literature at Istanbul University. Before completing the
4 year programme, she started studying English Linguistics at Stockholm University. At the
same time she took courses of Swedish Literature, Greek and Social Studies as a hobby.
She continued her studies at Turkish and Turkic Languages Department of Uppsala
University, and she also studied for one term as an exchange student at Boğaziçi
University. Linguistics always remains as a passionate interest and a subject of study for
her.
Amongst her hobbies are yoga, photography, painting and computers.
Please click to see performances of Ozlem
Video 1
Video 2
with each and every day passing by. Sweet or bitter, amongst what life brought Özlem,
dance is one of the dearest. It is alike literature, she affirms - it includes history, philosophy,
politics, deep and moving feelings, and intricate observations. It adds passion and sweat
and rigour and gaiety to that and there what comes into being is a phenomenon unique to
human beings: language...but this, language of the body.
Özlem was born and brought up in Turkey. Her passion for dance and oriental dance does
not emerge from any specific point in her life. She has always loved to dance. Having lived
in several different regions in Turkey has had an impact on her dance life. She is originally
from the small district of Bozdoğan of the Aegean town Aydın. Zeybek dance essential to
this region is her first passion which she defines as "blood stirring" despite its slow music
and heavy movements. (Note that Turkish Zeybek is quite different from Greek Zeybekiko in
style and in national and cultural significance) After spending her childhood in Bozdoğan,
she moved to Bilecik where Ottoman Empire was once established. Özlem is very fond of
history, and she had not realised the priviledge of having lived in that region until the time
she was living abroad. However, it was not the dreams of the harem but the traditional
Turkish Romany style dance that planted the love of Oriental Dance in her heart, while she
was living in Tekirdağ, a lovely Thracian town, famous for its Romany dance and Karşılama.
She learnt dancing the way it is danced traditionally. From folk dance spoon-playing to zills
(finger cymbals), a process sometimes spontaneous sometimes planned, producing the
vocabulary of this langauge by adding suitable technique to the moves she once learnt
fundamentally from her cheerful aunts. Oriental Dance gained a much deeper meaning for
her during her stay in Sweden. It started to represent a peaceful realm to avoid the
troubles of an "immigrant life". A realm she travels to when dancing, governed in hormony
by creativity, discipline and freedom together. After Stockholm, Özlem lived in Paris and
Athens and she now resides in Istanbul, immersing her soul in sweet sensation of Oriental
Dance.
Drop by if you are in her vicinity!
Özlem explored the other styles of Oriental Dance es well. She attended event and
activities to get to know more about Egyptian and Lebanese styles. She learnt the Turkish
Style from Sema Yıldız, the Turkish legend. She is still practicing contemporary dance and
folk dances under Aytül Hasaltun.
Özlem studied American Culture and Literature at Istanbul University. Before completing the
4 year programme, she started studying English Linguistics at Stockholm University. At the
same time she took courses of Swedish Literature, Greek and Social Studies as a hobby.
She continued her studies at Turkish and Turkic Languages Department of Uppsala
University, and she also studied for one term as an exchange student at Boğaziçi
University. Linguistics always remains as a passionate interest and a subject of study for
her.
Amongst her hobbies are yoga, photography, painting and computers.
Please click to see performances of Ozlem
Video 1
Video 2
ÖZLEM
Oryantal Dans/Turkish Belly Dance
Sword, candle tray balance
Floor dance, finger cymbals, veil, wings
Turkish Romani, Classic Chiftetelli
Performer/Oriental Dance Instructor
Oryantal Dans/Turkish Belly Dance
Sword, candle tray balance
Floor dance, finger cymbals, veil, wings
Turkish Romani, Classic Chiftetelli
Performer/Oriental Dance Instructor
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| 7th ANNUAL Grand Bellydance Tour of TurkishBellydance World 3rd - 14th MAY , 2011 ISTANBUL GYPSY (ROMA) FESTIVAL SOUTH AEGEAN TURKEY & GREEK ISLAND (COS) |
