Carpe Diem-Memento Mortis

Gokhan Turker

 Gokhan Turker was born in Istanbul at the spring of 1979. He finished  Cagalaoglu Anatolia Highschool, one of the best German based highschool in Istanbul. He decided to have his career in science and began his undergraduate study in Bogazici University at the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics. During his study, he traveled many times abroad. After his graduation in summer of 2002, he went to Zurich, Switzerland for his internship on Environmental Engineering. After he succesfully finished his internship in the private institute, EAWAG, he was accepted to the Biochemistry Masters program with full scholarship on Teaching Assistant by  Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Massachusetts USA. Gokhan Turker continued to his graduate study for six months and then decided to return back to Turkey and begin his graduate study on Environmental Sciences in Bogazici University. Gokhan Turker is continuing his MS. degree in Bogazici University at the Department of Environmental Sciences and wanting to have his PhD degree in Zurich, Switzerland.

 Gokhan Turker and Dance

 Gokhan Turker began his dance career in 1997 in Bogazici University. He tells this day as this: “ I had nothing about dance on my mind actually I did not liked dance. But on that day I cannot resist my friends and went to Orientation of BUDANS (Bogazici University Ballroom Dancing Society). I still remember precisely Ferah and Enver danced Mambo and it was one of the amazing things I ever saw. And I wanted to do also.” After continuing to dance two years with an intense program, Gokhan Turker had finished his required four courses in 1999 and was ready for the next step. Instead of performing a show or entering a competitions, Gokhan Turker pays more attention to dance teaching. He also pionered in founding of an Instructor Education Program in BUDANS. Having necessary educations about class management, instructor-student relations, movement showing and explanations for one year, Gokhan Turker continued his dance career as a  dance teacher since spring of 2000. After being in Board of  BUDANS for three semesters, he had to quit from his active position because of abroad travels and his graduation. After BUDANS, Gokhan Turker began to give private dance classes in many places, opened a dance school and performed many shows. He is always saying in every opportunity, that he has lots of thing to learn and he is a good student

Because Gokhan Turker originated from BUDANS his repertoire is quite wide spread from Ballroom styles to traditional Caribbean dances. Int. Style Jive, Int. Style Rhumba, Int. Style Cha Cha, Int. Style Mambo, American Style Rhumba, American Style Cha Cha, Salsa Cubana, Dominican Merengue and Bachata, La Rueda, Club Cha Cha and Disco Fox. After the event in Galaxidi,Greece he adds Traditional Greek dances like Xαsαposervico(Sirtaki), Kαlαmαtiαno (Kalamatiano), Zeimpekiko etc. To his dance repertoire.

Gokhan Turker and his International Studies

 Gokhan Turker always binds his scientific abroad travels with dance; he had succesfull studies in science as well as in dance.

 In summer of 2001 as he was having his internship in University of København, Denmark, he keeped the pulse of the city and absorbed necessary informations and techniques. In Copenhagen, Gokhan Turker met with real Salsa Cubana and accepted it as his dance style. The Latin dances show in Lyngby End of Summer Festival was a big success. As the Latin dance show was performed another dance team won the Iskandinavian La Rueda Competition in same day. Both dance teams were supported and sponsored by Chi Chi Cafe . From Denmark, Gokhan Turker traveled to Stockholm, Sweden and his dance style has been watched with a great enjoyment.

 Gokhan Turker started his internship in Zurich,Switzerland in autumn of 2002. Because of his flexible working hours, he had the chance to dance everynight and to improve his dance style. Gokhan  Turker tell us his first dance night in Zurich like this: “ It was 21:30 as I went to club called Palais X-Tra. As I look from outside, I did not saw anyone. I became a bit nervous. As I ask the bodyguard at the front door about the inside, he gave me this answer: “ There are not so many people up there now.” I asked “ How many people?” and as I got the answer :“ Approximately 300 people” I was quite shocked. I went upstairs, took a deep breath and I step into my first dance night in Zurich.” In Zurich, Gokhan Turker had the chance to join El Cubanito Salsa Congress and to dance with more than 200 dancers and dance teachers around the world.

 Gokhan Turker still works voluntarily in AEGEE (European Students Forum). He is the teacher and the speaker of DWG (Dance Working Group) of AEGEE-Istanbul; and the secretary of DWG of AEGEE-Europe. In the AGORA (General Assembly of AEGEE-Europe) held in Ohrid, Macedonia between 22-26 April 2004, he gave a Latin Dances Workshop and made a dance show in European Night. He continued his workshops in the event “Shake it to the Max” in Galaxidi, Greece between 25-29 July 2004. In Greece he also added Traditional Greek dances to his repertoire. He gave an another dance workshop in the event “Shake on the Beach” in Izmir, Turkey between 25-31 August 2004. Between 4-10 April 2005 he gave a workshop at Troy Fest Canakkale ,Turkey. He cant participate to the event in Kyiv Ukraine and in Enschede Netherlands due to his studies. For the summer plans Gokhan Turker want to be in Pireas, Greece to learn Greek dances and in Constanza, Romania to give dance lessons.