Alison Snow

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-unknown-
Turkish
Turkish

Allison Snow 1979

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Alison Snow began folk dancing in Berkeley, California in 1971 while attending the University of California. From the very start, Turkish dance and music were her favorite. She avidly pursued her interest in Turkish dance, making repeated trips to Turkey during 1971-1982. During those visits Alison trained with the National Folk Ensemble in Ankara, the İstanbul Conservatory, and two amateur groups in İstanbul and İzmir, the Anadolu Turizm ve folklor Dernegi and Sumoter. She has become conversant in the language and a true ambassador of Turkish culture.

From 1976 to 1980, Alison assisted Bora Özkök on his many teaching tours of the United States, Canada and Western Europe and together they accompanied every dance workshop and party with live zurna and davul music. She also attended and lent assistance to Bora's Turkish Seminar Tours in 1979, 1980, and 1981.

With the production of four Yazma label 45's (Yazma 101-104), Alison began touring independently and since 1980 has appeared throughout the United States and Canada offering workshops, choreography, live accompaniment, and special assistance to many performance groups. She specialized in traditional mixed line and couple dances and women's dances from the Black Sea and has taken three trips to Turkey.

Taking a long leave of absence from touring to raise a family, Alison cannot resist an invitation or opportunity to teach Turkish dance. She is frequently seen on the dance floor in her home town or at her workplace as a teacher in Pasadena.