I recently took a trip to Istanbul and had the pleasure of meeting and dancing with Nesrin Topkapi and Sema Yildiz. Two highly regarded and well respected Turkish dancers who began their careers in the 1970s.

It's not everyday that you get to work with and meet, what I regard to be - belly dance legends. 

Why do I class these ladies as belly dance legends?

For me, they are my personal idols within belly dance. Both dancers have stood the test of time proving that that they are not a passing trend. Both Nesrin Topkapi and Sema Yildiz started their dancing careers at a time where belly dance was not shown on Turkish television to now inspiring and teaching the stars of today.

I connect with their dance on so many levels. I feel the emotion, beauty and grace within their dance as they effortlessly glide across the wooden floor. No frills belly dance, only clean footwork, hard work over the years, dance patterns and true ladylike personas. 

Today we are used to watching belly dancers on YouTube with millions of views. We don't even need to go to class or watch dancers live in person anymore to get to know them or learn from them. Both Nesrin and Sema abla come from an era before YouTube and online classes. A time where dancers were mainly self taught (both of whom are), where you would go to the source to find belly dance music and recordings of your performance were few and far between. It's hard to imagine that now, right?

Listening to their stories and knowledge is so admirable. Many of the moves we do today are inspired by Sema Yildiz and Nesrin Topkapi and we don't even realise it. Floor work, arm patterns and travelling steps have in some way influenced today's belly dance.

I am honoured to have had the chance to indulge in their knowledge and incorporate this into both my teaching and performing.

I truly hope that I get the chance to meet with them again, Insallah.

Watch videos of Nesrin Topkapi

Watch videos of Sema Yildiz

During my recent trip to Istanbul, I had the absolute pleasure of learning from Nesrin Topkapi, one of my all time favourite dancers from not just belly dance but all types of dance.
A graceful, charismatic and inspirational dancer. Nesrin Topkapi was the first belly dancer to appear on Turkish television dancing on New Years eve shows in the early 1980s. 

Today she trains and choreographs for theatre show dancers getting them ready for stage. Nesrin Topkapi has stood the test of time and is self taught like most dancers of her generation. She is a very clever dancer with a natural eye on the little details. Her approach and delivery when teaching is superb, it's lovely to see that she hasn't lost her energy and passion for the dance.

I am a true fan of this wonderful artist. Watch the video of Nesrin Topkapi below.

Shimmy hugs,
Tevec

After my recent trip to Istanbul, I felt I should post about the teachers I've been learning with.
The first is Sema Yildiz, a belly dancer and artist in the truest sense of the word. As the Daughter of a farmer, she began dancing at a very young age and with her Turkish Romany origins now has a strong Romany Gypsy student following.

Over the years, Sema Yildiz has influenced and trained many of the dancers in Istanbul today including Didem. Sema dances like a lady with a youthful charm and has a great wealth of knowledge. After I had spent time with her she was off to teach workshops and perform in Canada which proves that she has an ever growing international following from all over the world. This Summer you can take workshops with her in Greece.

Here is a rare piece of footage of Sema Yildiz dancing in 1976. You have to remember this is a era before YouTube, dance congresses and weekly classes so much of what you see is self taught. Enjoy! :)

Shimmy hugs,
Tevec