Binnaz Dorkip

Binnaz Dorkip serves as a Part-Time Movement Instructor in the Theatre Department at Bilkent University and is the current choreographer for the Ankara State Opera and Ballet. She began her career in 1974 as a solo dancer with the Ankara State Opera and Ballet after graduating from the Ankara State Conservatory, establishing herself as a pivotal figure in Turkish dance through pioneering contemporary dance initiatives.

Her educational background includes:

• Ankara State Conservatory (1974), studying under Molly and Travis Kemp

Ms. Dorkip specializes in dance and choreography, with foundational expertise in classical ballet expanded through advanced training in modern and contemporary dance. She co-founded Turkey's Contemporary Dance Ensemble (1975-1979), popularizing the form nationwide via tours, and later established the State Ballet's modern dance unit in 1992—the first of its kind in Turkey. Her choreographic repertoire spans opera (e.g., Don Giovanni, 1976), theater, television, and fashion shows, reflecting deep engagement with both traditional and experimental movement disciplines developed through collaborations with artists like Merce Cunningham.