Ayşe Orhon, Yugoslav descent, born in Boston to a Turkish family, brought up in Istanbul, is a performer and choreographer based in Berlin. She is a graduate of Artez (HKA) in 2001 and the Master of Choreography program in Amsterdam (AHK) with her research "Permeable Manifestations" in 2013.

She is working with artists, sometimes without, sometimes for, on composition and performance of movement, text and sound. The common interest in her choreographic projects and teaching is working with collective presences co-existing throughout seemingly single subject using the fields of body, movement, language and voice.

As a performer she danced for/with Aydın Teker, Emmanuelle Huynh, DD Dorvillier, Eszter Salamon, Deborah Hay, Hermann Heisig, Jule Flierl among others. As a choreographer and performer she collaborates with Berlin-based choreographers and visual artists (Litó Walkey, Christina Ciupke, Begüm Erciyas, Clement Layes, Vassiliea Stylianidou aka Franck-Lee Alli-Tis, Yvon Chabrowski, among others). As a maker Orhon performed her productions in diverse festivals in Europe such as Can You Repeat? (2007), hava (2009), ÇOK (2010), folk (2011), thinging (2013), SeS (2019), we are going to Mostar; a collective daydreaming (2022).

Since 1997 Orhon has been working in the field of movement and movement therapy. With full certification from Stott/Merrithew Pilates between 2004-2016 she taught Pilates technique with machines as post-rehabilitation and for professional dancers. Introduced to Shiatsu and meridians by Eva Karczag (1997), followed by Structural Integration Part I (KMI) certification with Thomas Myers (2009), Since 2021 Orhon is practicing Shiatsu with Katrin Schröder at ESI (Europäische Shiatsu Institut Berlin), completed Level 5. Connecting back to her roots with somatic practices she has become a certified teacher for Skinner Releasing Technique™ in 2024 by the Skinner Releasing Institute.

Orhon’s practice is a dance between the somatic and the artistic, between the kinaesthetic and the aesthetic.

EDUCATION

2011-2013 MA “Permeable Manifestations” Degree Master of Choreography, Amsterdam Theater School
1997-2001 ArtEZ/EDDC, The Arnhem Institute for the Arts; BA in Choreography and Performance. Arnhem, Düsseldorf at Tanzhaus NRW.
1987-1995 Lycée Saint Benoit, Lycée Sainte Pulchérie, Istanbul. High school diploma.

TRAINING / Certification

2024 Skinner Releasing Technique™ Teacher (The Skinner Releasing Institute)

2024 Shiatsu practitioner, European Shiatsu Institute (ESI) -Berlin. Level 1-5 ‘health practitioner’ under DGAM (German Society for Alternative Medicine)

2009 KMI, Structural Integration Part I certification with Thomas Myers
2008 Pilates Instructor, Full certification (Mat, Reformer, Ladder Barrel, Chair, Special Populations) Stott Pilates / Merrithew -Toronto, Stockholm.
2005 Pilates Instructor, Mat and Reformer certification Stott Pilates / Merrithew -Boston.

MEMBER

2007 AMBER (Process-based Arts Association), Founding Member
2005 ASK (Eurasia Art Collective), Founding Member
2004 CATI (Contemporary Dance Artists Association), Founding Member

LANGUAGES Turkish (excellent-mother tongue) / English (excellent-spoken/written / French (excellent-spoken/written) / German (good-spoken/written).

AWARDS/GRANTS/PARTICIPATION

CULTURE MOVES EUROPE, Individual Mobility Fund, 2024 for adapting and teaching whole Introductory repertoire of Skinner Releasing Technique in France in French.
IMPACT17, Pact Zollverein, Essen. Invited as participant artist. IMPACT17 is a transdisciplinary symposium that is aimed at artists and practitioners and theorists from the areas of science, journalism, technology, political activism, social work and city planning.
Jardin d’Europe 2007 ImPulsTanz Festival, Vienna: 'Can You Repeat? / Tekrar Edebilir misin?' received artistic residency for new work (P.A.R.T.S., Brussels).
Roberto Cimetta Mobility Grant received in Marseille 2003, Lisbon 2008 and Marseille 2013.
DanceWeb Scholarship, Impulstanz Vienna 1998 (awarded/not unclaimed)

DIVERSE

Only for You; Becoming Subject of Performance Article published in Danswetenschap in Nederland, 2015

Critical Endeavor Jardin d’Europe Participant in iDANS İstanbul, 2012 - Reviews on Rimini Protokoll's and Anna Mendelssohn's performances
İZLEK. Programming weekly contemporary dance films and video showings with participation of guest artists and theoreticians. December 2008 – June 2009 (23 series of presentation) Tezgah Café, İstanbul
As a sequel to previous series, initiated and co-organized a four day panel in the frame of Amber 15’ Festival, November 2015: “Dynamics of Labor in Dance and Choreography in Istanbul: Discussing Choreographic Modes of Production in the Light of 4 Different Examples by 4 Generations of Artists”.

Turkish Terminology Guide for Contemporary Dance Presented on Dance Platform Ankara, May 2002.

TRAINING 1982-2000

Classical Ballet and Folk Dances education 1981-95 Various schools and Istanbul State Conservatory
Galatasaray Sports Club Licensed Swimmer (Synchronized Swimming) 1993-97
Istanbul State Conservatory Harp Department 1990-97
Classical Ottoman Music family gatherings in direction of Mutlu Torun 1982-2000

ADDITIONAL SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS (1995 - Today)

Bettina Neuhaus, SRT Skinner Releasing Ongoing Classes (1-4), Tanzfabrik, Berlin, 02-05 Jan. 2024
Ohashi, Shiatsu Ohashi’s Masterclass, 23 June 2023, Berliner Schule für Zen Shiatsu, Berlin
Serap Meriç, SRT Skinner Releasing Introductory Class 4, at Purespace, Istanbul, 30 August 2022
Gaby Agis, SRT Skinner Releasing Ongoing Classes (5-7), Purespace, Istanbul, 3-5 June 2022
Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen Opening and Strengthening Our Heart through the Consciousness of Embodiment, Spring Series 2021. Online course, eight classes.
Ignacio Jarquin Vocal training in the frame of MONUMENT 0.6: HETEROCHRONY / Palermo 1599 – 1920 performance by Eszter Salamon, Berlin, Budapest, Montemor o Novo, Kortreijk, August-December 2019. * * Ignacio Jarquin Vocal training solo and tandem classes 2021-2023.
Johanna Peine Vocal training in the frame of MONUMENT 0.6: HETEROCHRONY / Palermo 1599 – 1920 performance by Eszter Salamon, Caen, France, June 2019.
Zorka Wollny Workshop/sound performance, Breath to Matter #5, Kule, January 2019
Emmanuelle Huynh Workshop on Bolero 2, CND, Paris, 13. 03.2018
Saadet Türköz Workshop at CATI, Istanbul August 2017
Julyen Hamilton Space and Voice. Masterclass. Berlin Arts United, Dock11 EDEN July 2016 Berlin Improvisation Xchange.
Nancy Stark Smith, Mike Vargas THE (GLOBAL!) UNDERSCORE workshop. Tanzfabrik Uferstudios 18-19 June 2016, Berlin.
ESTAR (SER) SALT-Galata, Istanbul 2016
Mary-Clare McKenna SRT Skinner Releasing Introductory Classes (1-5 and 5-10) SALT Galata, Istanbul, October 2015
Gaby Agis, Mary-Clare McKenna, SRT Skinner Releasing Introductory Classes, at Mimar Sinan University, Istanbul, 25 Nov.- 06 Dec. 2014
Simone Forti and Jeremiah Day Workshop ‘Body Mind World’ at SALT Galata, Istanbul, March 2014
Lisa Nelson Workshop, in the frame of Master of Choreography, Amsterdam, 2013
Alexandre del Perugio Workshop on ‘falls’ in the frame of “Les Augures” production with Emmanuelle Hyunh, CNDC, Angers 2011
Critical Endeavor Jardin d’Europe-Critical Endeavour participant, iDans Festival, Istanbul 2010
Martine Pissani iDans Festival, Yıldız Technical University Dance Department, Istanbul 2009
Mathilde Monnier iDans Festival, Yıldız Technical University Dance Department, Istanbul 2009
Johannes Birringer Amber Festival, İstanbul 2007
Jonathan Borrows /Andrew Heathfield ImpulsTanz Festival / Coaching Project
Loic Touzé Hareket Project, ÇATI (Contemporary Dance Artists Association), İstanbul 2006
Johannes Birringer Hareket Project, ÇATI (Contemporary Dance Artists Association), İstanbul 2006
Latifa Laabisi Hareket Project, ÇATI (Contemporary Dance Artists Association), İstanbul 2006
Louis Ayet N’aller Nulle Part Festival DANSEM, Marseille 2003
Juan Cruz Diaz Yıldız Tecnical University Dance Department, Istanbul 2002
Johannes Birringer/ Sher Doruff/ Realtime & Presence’ Hellerau, Dresden 2002
Orm Finnendal
Performance Studies Conference University of Frankfurt am Main 2001
Johannes Birringer Dance & Technology Department Ohio State University
Performance Studies Conference PACT Zollverein, Essen 2001
Andrew L. Harwood Contact Improvisation, Tanzwochen, Vienna 1999
David Zambrano Technique, Tanzwochen, Vienna 1999
Lutz Gregor ‘die Haut’ Video-film workshop. TanzhausNRW, Düseldorf 1999
Susan Baur 'Laban Movement Analysis' Aksanat, İstanbul 1997
Randy Warshaw Technique, Tanzwochen, Vienna 1997
Frey Faust Technique, Tanzwochen, Vienna
Mustafa Doğan Istanbul Sanat Merkezi, Istanbul 1996-1997
Mustafa Kaplan TAL, City Theaters Istanbul 1996-97
Connecting Bodies Conference SNDO, Scott deLahunta, Amsterdam 1996
Dance Space Inc, New York 1996
Zeynep Tanbay Graham Technique. Mimar Sinan University guest student 1996
Kaya İlhan Akkoyunlu Fundamental Techniques and Movement Laboratory
Mimar Sinan University guest student, İstanbul 1995-96
Christine Brodbeck Contemporary Jazz and Improvisation. Istanbul Art Center (ISM), Istanbul 1995-96