Dr. Bahar Özkan, head of Hacettepe University’s Children and Youth Folk Dance Ensemble, and Ayhan Bıçaklı, president of the Güzelyurt Art Association, appeared as guests on the Öğlen Ajansı program hosted by Cem Kar and made statements to bring clarity to the “folk dance” issue that has emerged in recent days and put an end to speculation.
The debate flared up after some authorities said, “Can’t Cypriots perform Cyprus dances? Why are dancers from Turkey doing this?” in response to the Hacettepe University Children and Youth Folk Dance Ensemble learning traditional Cypriot folk dances and performing them at various competitions and shows. The issue was addressed on the Öğlen Ajansı program. Bıçaklı said that the two ensembles had taken part in various festivals and activities together over the past 12 years, sometimes side by side and sometimes as each other’s guests, and added that he could not understand how things had reached this point.
“WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER FOR 12 YEARS” Bıçaklı said they had a 12-year history with Hacettepe University’s Children and Youth Folk Dance Ensemble, adding that the two ensembles had attended various festivals for one another. Bıçaklı clarified what the recent crisis was really about in the following words: “During one of our conversations, I learned that Professor Bahar and her team had a great interest in and fondness for Cypriot folk dances. They were asking, ‘Why shouldn’t we perform Cypriot folk dances, too?’ I said, ‘Why not? We could,’ and, right then and there, I bought a ticket, called Professor Bahar and told her, ‘I’m coming to teach you Cypriot folk dances.’ That’s how it all came about.”
“OUR AIM WAS TO INSTILL CYPRIOT CULTURE”
Özkan said they had built warm relationships not only with Güzelyurt but also with many other districts in Cyprus, and added that they sometimes hosted guests from those districts in Ankara. Noting that these visits had also led the two sides to influence one another culturally, Özkan said the children who dance in Ankara were eager to learn traditional Cypriot folk dances so they could get to know Cypriot culture better. She emphasized that their aim in this respect was to instill Cypriot culture in the children and ensure they were not deprived of the opportunity to learn about it.
“WE WANT TO PERFORM THIS DANCE IN TURKEY” Bıçaklı said they took part in various international competitions every year and that Greek Cypriots tried to obstruct them in various ways. He said they faced various obstacles both when raising their flag and when performing their dances, and added that they had done and would continue to do everything they could to spread Cypriot folk dances around the world. Özkan said that an inter-association dance competition was held in Turkey every year, organized by the Ministry of Culture, and that they wanted to perform traditional Cypriot folk dances at this competition as the Hacettepe University Folk Dance Ensemble. Özkan said they would not take part in any competition under the name of the Cypriot Folk Dance Ensemble; they would perform Cypriot folk dances only at the competition among ensembles organized by Turkey’s Ministry of Culture, and would not perform these dances anywhere else outside Turkey. She emphasized that the issue should not be taken in a different direction for this reason.