Sinan Temizalp: Simya Arts - Istanbul, Turkey

Choreographer: Sinan TemizalpCompany: Simya SANATWebsiteArtist Statement/Philosophy/Mission Statement: Simya Arts, based in Istanbul, Turkey, is an independent arts company providing artistic training and organizing cultural and artistic events. Its main areas of focus are arts education and performing arts and dance theatre productions. Simya Arts’ mission is to improve the consciousness of people in favor of arts and a healthy thinking system. Simya Arts works for intercultural dialogue; with this aim, it organizes international meetings, festivals and conferences, and participates in joint productions in Istanbul, Europe and in the international space. The company is also the producer of the performances of Zigurrat Dance company, which consists of native and international artists with backgrounds in performing arts. Simya Arts participates in international festivals with its special projects such as Meditative Dance and with the plays and performances of Zigurrat Dance Company.The main partner of Simya Arts is Teatro Inverso and Chili320 Circus from Italy in Europe and SonneBlauma in USA.

Simya Arts is a member of IETM (International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts) and country representative of European Off Network.

Short Artist/Company Bio:

Sinan Temizalp received his formal dance education in Classical Ballet from the State School of Arts in Hacette University Conservatorie.

Sinan started his gymnastic career when he was 7. Following his classical Ballet education in the State school of Arts he went on to receive training and research in contemporary dance, Sufi movement meditations, breathing techniques, yoga. He worked with dance companies such as Atelier Dance and Ensemble in Ankara. He took workshops from international choreographers with MDT (Ankara Modern Dance Ensemble) such as contact Improvisation, Risk, Limon, Alexander technique, High and Low Flying, Pilates and Partnering. Temizalp’s East/West explorations inspired him to create a new technique which is called “Meditative Dance” – a fusion of the aforementioned Eastern/Western elements.

In 2005 Temizalp opened his dance studio Simya Movement Atelier.

Sinan is a member of European Independent Artists’ Network as a performing artist and he is also the representative of this network in Turkey. He performs choreography work for theatres. In 2010, Temizalp received the Best Choreography award from Lions Club with the play ‘Trial’ by Franz Kafka. His recent productions are 'Theory of Fall' and ‘Night Mare’.

In Sinan Temizalp’s lessons, a variety of techniques are used for maximizing movement ability: classical ballet, modern techniques – risk and flying- including the basic level of acrobatics and gymnastics. Temizalp also makes use of ancient body work and concentration methods in his lessons, as well as movement meditations to deepen the feeling. About his training technique Meditative Dance, a recent article is published at Arts and Society Journal:

You may read the article about meditative dance at the link below:

http://ija.cgpublisher.com/product/pub.85/prod.578

Describe some of your achievements over the course of the last five years:

Simya Arts is an independent arts company focused on artistic training and organization of artistic events and performances. It offers professional theatre and dance education as well as basic arts training. The company organizes artistic events, seminars and workshops, in which trainers and artists from Europe, USA and Asia participate.

The company is also the producer of the performances of Zigurrat Dance company, which consists of native and international artists particularly with backgrounds in performing arts. Simya Arts participates in the artistic events and festivals organized in Europe with its special projects such as Meditative Dance and with the plays and performances of Zigurrat Dance Company.

With its creative projects and productions, the Company has achieved a pioneering status both in Turkey and in the international field since its establishment in year 2005. The performances staged by the company include: Superego (2005), Meaning Insects (2006), Isolation (2007), Quantum Jump (2008) and Theory of Fall (2009)

Simya Arts is a member of IETM (International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts) and European Off Network. It is the organizer of a large-scale network event realized in year 2010 in Istanbul (European Culture Capital for 2010) with the participation of artists, art organizations and cultural operators from 30 countries of Europe. The project has been carried out in partnership of cultural organizations around Europe and with the support of public and private institutions in Turkey. The project aimed to be a further opportunity for the transnational mobility of artists and transnational circulation of artistic works, and for promoting intercultural dialogue, with an international festival ‘Integral Move’ and international conference ‘Communicational Intelligence’. The company also acted as the co-organizer of international conferences in the cultural field, including “EON Meeting 2007” in Brescia, Italy and “3rd Space Conference 2008” in Vienna, Austria.

What do you hope to gain from the experience of participating in this festival?

Simya Arts feels the excitement for new beginnings, with the high quality art of SonneBlauma Dancsz Theatre. Simya Arts had the facility to invite and stage the performance of SonneBlauma in Istanbul in year 2008; and got to know better about their excellent dance technique and success in creating concepts and quote of feelings. Simya arts have decided to spread of its creation of the training technique for body mind balance ‘Meditative Dance’. In this scope, Simya Arts wants to organize workshops by the support of festival organizers. Sinan Temizalp is eager to share the stage with SonneBlauma and hopes to develop joint stage projects and video work following the festival. Simya Arts feels the enthusiasm to meet a new audience in USA. Sinan Temizalp, with his unique dance technique Meditative dance and with new ways of story telling, acts beyond borders.

Have you participated in other festivals or showcases?

Since year 2003, Simya Arts participated Natura Festivals, Dance Camera festivals, Integral Move festival in Turkey; and Third Space in Vienna and Ikos Festival in Italy.

Simya Arts enjoys to be a part of festivals, international dialogue and intercultural cooperation. As a festival organizer, we know how difficult work it is as well as how these events serve for promoting closer dialogue and understanding with different cultures. Simya Arts has also been invited for making speeches in international arts conferences, including Milano International Congress (2010), Venice Arts and Society Conference (2009), IETM meeting in Slovenia and Zurich (2008) and European Off Network meeting in Austria (2008) and Italy (2007).