Yore Board Members

Dr. Omer Uyuklu
Dr. Eser Ayanoglu
Emine Ulku Saritas
Ezerhan Kadioglu
Mehpare Pam Askin
Ali Tosun
 
Dr. Omer Uyuklu

Dr. Omer Uyuklu started dancing in high school and continued as a dancer, teacher, and choreographer at Bogazici University, Turkey. He was one of the founders and the director of Turkozu Folklore Club in Sultanahmet, Istanbul. During his years at Bogazici University Folklore Club (BUFC), he participated as a dancer, researcher and a member of the executive committee. His research on location to learn the authentic form included Bitlis and Van regions. He participated in various European Folk Festivals in Spain, France, Germany and Italy for 4 years with BUFC. Through BUFC, he was a part of the organizing group of the first International Folklore Conference that included scholars like Pertev Naili Boratav and Ilhan Basgoz, along with many others from European countries.
After moving to US, Dr. Uyuklu started teaching folk dances at San Jose State University (SJSU). When he started teaching at SJSU Anthropology Department, he used his documentary films from Turkish folklore in Ethnographic Film Making Class. Later, he formed his own group, Turkish Folklore and Tourism Club, now known as Arkadash Turkish Folk Ensemble. Arkadash started performing very actively in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Texas, and Utah. The group represented Turkey at EXPO ’86 World Fair in Vancouver, Canada. Participating in San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival auditions for 5 years in a row, Arkadash was selected 3 times to perform in the festival. The group was awarded a 3-year grant by the California Arts Council to purchase authentic costumes for every dance in their repertoire. These costumes were for Black Sea, Adiyaman and Gaziantep regions. Arkadash was awarded the “Best of the Fair-1st Place, Blue Ribbon” two years in a row at Santa Clara County International Fair for their educational – cultural, interactive displays.
Dr. Omer Uyuklu is currently the owner and Educational Director of California College of Communications in Campbell. He would like to pass on his folklore experiences to the new generations who will preserve the authenticity of the dances and music. He believes that Yore will be the best group to carry on this tradition, and he strongly supports their effort in reaching this goal.
 
Dr. Eser Ayanoglu

Eser Ayanoglu started performing dances soon after coming to the United States in groups such as Anatolia, Arkadash and Stanford University International Dance Ensemble. At the same time he studied international dances with special emphasis on Balkan dances in the beginning. During this period he attended international dance classes in addition to special workshops for international dance teachers and candidates.
His teaching experience started with the San Jose State University Folk Dancers with dances of Turkey, Greece and the rest of the Balkans. In the late 80's Eser Ayanoglu had a repertory of about 250 international dances including those from Ireland, France, Russia, Poland, Scandinavia, Latin America, Africa and other regions. He became a regular international dance teacher in the greater Bay Area, taught for organizations or in places including Ashkenaz, Stanford University , UC Berkeley International Dancers, United Nations and gave workshops in and out of California. During the same period Dr. Ayanoglu prepared a Turkish Dance Suite for Stanford University International Dance Ensemble, also founded and directed Minikler, a children's dance group.
In 1992 he was chosen to be the dance teacher for the worldwide "Dance on the Water" cruise trips, to teach mainly Turkish and Greek dances between Greece and Turkey. Later he founded and directed Hoyda and Art for Peace International Dance Ensembles. The latter group’s performance was filmed by the United Nations Association to be presented on United Nation anniversaries. He founded “Many Cultures, One World”, a multinational improvisational music and dance group. Dr. Ayanoglu also served in Westwind International Folk Ensemble’s Board of Directors. He was awarded by Stanford University International Center for his contributions of multicultural activities through various forms of art, including dance and music. He is currently a senior research scientist in the area of genomics, specializing on prescription drug-gene interactions.
Dr. Ayanoglu believes that the cultural and the folkloric richness of Turkey is not sufficiently recognized in the US and considers helping in this area as a mission. He also believes that Yore is a vital organization in materializing such recognition.
 
Emine Ulku Saritas

Comin soon...
 
Ezerhan Kadioglu

Comin soon...

Mehpare Pam Askin

Mehpare Pam Askin is a native of Turkey, originally from Karaman Beyligi in Central Anatolia. She started her dance career with ballet at an early age and continues as a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and coordinator at Yore. She has been with several Turkish folk dance groups and authentic Turkish folk song chorus throughout the school years. She joined Dostlar chorus, and had a short vocal education from Ruhi Su who was a well-known opera singer and a folk musician. She worked with her mentor Mr. Celal Ozturk, Ararat region Folk Dance Researcher and Choreographer, he was awarded many years in nation-wide auditions organized by Milliyet News and Istanbul Teknik University. She completed two years certification course in Turkish Folk Dance Education given by Department of National Education ( Milli Egitim Bakanligi Turk Folklor Kurumu). After She moved to US, she danced with her mentor Taner Oztek who has specialized in Kars/ Kafkas region. She represented his country in many national and international Folk festivals and auditions. She has danced with numerous school ensembles, private associations, and participated in dance festivals and competitions. Pam organized many multi-cultural events for schools. She sponsored various Turkish folk dance groups in these events. Pam has dance experience with Ararat, Ciftetelli, Kirklareli, Kafkas, Silifke, Karadeniz, Adiyaman, Artvin, and Antep regions. She always wanted to show the authentic Turkish dance & support dancers under the same roof. Yore allows Pam to reach her goal of making folk dance recognized by a wider audience.
She volunteered for Turkish American Association for many years. She worked as an Activity Coordinator for TAAC San Mateo Chapter, and organized 23rd of April Children’s Festival 2000, worked at San Mateo Turkish festival organization as an activity coordinator. She led Ciftetelli Group, organized Turkish Vintage Clothing Fashion Show many years.
She graduated with a BS degree from State Academy of Fine Arts. Her current major is Minor in Architectural Interior Design, Major in Industrial Design. Due to her Pedagogy, and Trial Psychology courses she was awarded with a Teacher’s License, which entitles her to teach. She updated her major with CAD. Due to her design experience she is specialized at Hotel and Holiday Village design. She recently works as a designer.
Currently she is focusing on Turkish Folk Dance, and honored to be part of Yore Coordinators. Her future vision is to make Yore the best authentic Turkish folk dance group in the Bay area.
 
Ali Tosun

Ali Tosun has a masters degree from SFSU with a major in Film Directing. He has many short films, including two award-winning short-movies. He is one of the two soloists of the very well-known music band CEMALI. As a very active band within the World Music scene in the U.S., they have collaborated and toured all around the continent with respected World-Fusion bands. Their albums are distributed worldwide by Universal Music, Emusic, 7/8 Music, Golden Horn Productions and Musicrama.

Cemali has released albums both in Turkey and US. The two brothers Cem and Ali are consummate musicians, singers, composers, poets and arrangers of their own music. They have combined their talents to create their musical style, which is a culmination of many years work. They embrace electronics and incorporate them into the traditional compositions. Their progressive musical sense has actually made them Turkey's first alternative pop group in it's history. Actually Cemali is carrying on a long family tradition of folk poetry and innovative musical compositions and renditions. Their father and grandfather are truly respected and loved bard singers of the Anatolian Ashik folk tradition. Cemali’s recording and performing career took them from San Francisco to around the world.

Overall the theme of Cemali’s music is universal love. That is love of all beings on our earth in the sense of the great Shaman Mysticism. Many songs deal with personal suffering and joy in the hands of lovers allegorically transposed for their historical and societal meaning. Their style is a unique blend of stirring melodies, alternative rhythms, new age harmonies, and fascinating World Beat woven with original contemporary poetry. Steeped in thousands of years of Central Asian Shamanism and Anatolian Philosophy Cemali’s compositions are flowing and effortless with a captivating rhythm.