Educational Institutions

Together with modern dance clubs, the opening of two departments for dance at universities also fostered the independent scene. The first one was opened in 1992 at the Mimar Sinan University Istanbul ( www.msgsu.edu.tr) (which has actually the statue of State Conservatory- in the context of Stage Arts- Ballet Department). The second one was opened in 1999 at the Yıldız Technical University / Art and Design Faculty (www.yildiz.edu.tr). Although their existence means a lot for the contemporary dance scene, there are no more than 30 students who register each year. In 2007, Bilgi University opened a programme of Performing Arts in the context of Management of Performing Arts, in collaboration with the Duncan Center Conservatory in Prague. It provides a general education in the field of performing arts, focusing on vocal, gestural, and bodily attributes of performance and relating them to space and technology (http://map.bilgi.edu.tr) Along with university education, there are several private studios which offer alternative contemporary dance education by using workshops and various technique classes (www.catidans.org, www.dansbulusma.com, www.ciplakayaklar.com, www.galataperform.com, www.remdance.com ).

Considering the size of Turkey and its cultural diversity, this number is obviously next to nothing. For ballet training there are state conservatories, but also hundreds of private ballet courses which offer various certificates. The Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory (www.konser.hacettepe.edu.tr) offers full time primary and secondary education as well as part-time ballet education. The Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University State Conservatory has a Ballet Department (www.msgsu.edu.tr). The first a private ballet school was founded by Yıldız Alpar in 1953 and offers an English Royal Academy certificate. It is situated in Kadıkoy, Moda, on the Asian side of Istanbul (www.yildizalpar.com).

As for folk dance, there are eight folk dance departments at Turkish universities, either at State Conservatories of Turkish Music, or Folklore Studies. The one in Istanbul is at the Istanbul Technical University (www.tmdk.itu.edu.tr) and unlike others at this university they are much more open to collaboration and discuss ideas with modern/contemporary dance artists.