Dance & Music Performances |
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Mehriban Afandiyeva, an active member of Azeri community of DC, is currently completing her Bachelor of Science degree in Economics at George Mason University and interning at Regulatory Economics Group, LLC. She has moved to DC area after receiving The Fund for American Studies scholarship in Fall 2006 and attending a scholar program at Georgetown University. Besides involvement in diaspora matters, Mehriban is also an amateur dancer. Mehriban has been dancing since she was six while she was a student at gymnasium in the name of Nasraddin Tusi, Baku, Azerbaijan. She will be performing a national Azerbaijani dance called "Uzundere" (Long Valley).
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The Balkanics are the dynamic, colorful and unpredictable are the peoples of the Balkan
peninsula. Naturally, their music has absorbed the complexity of their existence, and has grown into a rare mixture
of odd rhythms, forgotten modes and poignant lyrics. Played on modern day instruments, this music, with its unlikely
progressions and intricate ornamentation, sounds extremely intriguing to the Westerner’s ear.
The Balkanics bring this phenomenon home to the DC area.Coming to a Balkanics event is not just a night out —
it is an experience of a culture distant yet rooted into your natural instincts and emotions.
To feel footloose and carefree and forget the troubles of the day, this is what music is all about!
For more information, please visit: www.balkanics.com 
Formed in April of 2006, The Ishtar Band is a five
piece band from Pittsburgh that specializes in traditional bellydance songs from the 1920’s through 1970. While Ishtar focuses primarily
on Turkish music, they also perform songs from the Balkans, Greece, Spain, Israel and Egypt. Around the Pittsburgh area, Ishtar has played
in such varied venues as rock clubs, Middle Eastern restaurants, nightclubs, jazz bars and art galleries. Ishtar features Melissa Murphey
on clarinet, Rob Metil on Fender Stratocaster guitar, Mark DeFilippo on darbuka, Beth DeFilippo on riq and Jeff Chmielarski on fretless
electric bass. For more information visit
Kardelen Turkish Dance Ensemble is a group of dancers dedicated to promoting the culture of Turkey through dances the dances from the region. Kardelen Dance Ensemble takes its name from a resilient Anatolian mountain flower that survives under hardship and severe weather circumstances. The group members are committed to helping underprivileged children in developing countries who survive under difficult circumstances just like the Kardelen flower and therefore donate a portion of revenues to organizations that are engaged in education and health of children. For more information visit:
The Bluestar Dance Troupe was founded almost a year by the leadership of Zeki Maviyildiz who has been sharing his vast experience and talents with
his friends. Despite being a relatively new dance group, Bluestar Dance Troupe introduced Turkish Folk Dances to many audiences. They present a
variety of Turkish folk dance pieces from traditional dances to modern choreographies keeping the spirit of the dance. Bluestar Dance Troupe currently resides in Raleigh, North Carolina.
For more info visit: 
Silk Road Dance Company 
Ismail Lumanovski
was born in Bitola, Macedonia to a Turkish Romani family. Ismail began playing clarinet at the age of nine.
His expressiveness and technical skill in both western classical and Balkan folk music has distinguished him
even among clarinetists twice his age. Ismail plays with several New York-area bands and performs at
concerts and Balkan weddings all over the country, while attending the Juilliard School where he studies
with Charles Neidich.
Turan Garibova
, Azerbaijani national, was born in Baku, Azerbaijan. She is a
staff member of the World Bank Group in Washington, DC. She is also a member and
treasurer of Azerbaijani Women of America (AWA), a Washington, DC based
association.
Ever since its creation in 1998 by several devoted Turkish/Turkish-American
individuals, Washington, DC Turkish Folk Dance Troupe (to be confirmed) has been a part of numerous social, educational,
cultural, and recreational events. With over 60 performances in its record, the troupe continues to grow both in terms of size
and repertoire. Anyone, regardless of his/her past experience with dancing, is welcomed in the group. The troupe,
as a whole, serves for the purpose of promoting and broadening the awareness of Turkish culture in the U.S. through performances of
various Turkish folk dances; whereas, for the individual’s standpoint, it is a friendly and social environment where learning and
teaching of Turkish folk dances are made possible through voluntary work. The troupe meets every Sunday afternoon to
practice the dances.
For more information, please visit