PRESIDENT DEMIRTAS WILL LECTURE THE FIRST COURSE

Izmir University of Economics 2011-2012 Academic Year will begin with the “First Course” to be lectured by President of the Board of Trustees Ekrem Demirtaş. During the ceremony, the first “zeibek”, that was created by Selim Sırrı Tarcan upon Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s request, where male and female dances together, will be presented.

The ceremony will begin on Tuesday, October 11 at 09.00 with wreath-laying service at Cumhuriyet Square and will continue at Izmir University of Economics Conference Hall at 11.00. Izmir University of Economics Rector Prof. Dr. Atilla Sezgin will start the 11th Year Academic Opening with a speech and President of the Board of Trustees Ekrem Demirtaş will lecture the “First Course”.

After President Demirtaş’s “First Course”, Izmir University of Economics students Engin Kıbrıslı, Baki Evkuran and İnci Atkaya will perform “Sonsuz Zeybek”, which was projected by the Promotion, PR and Student Activities Directorate. The zeibek choreograpy, which is a result of a long and intense labour, will meet with the audience in Izmir for the first time since 1925. IUE Music Consultant Alaskar Abbasov did the orchestration of the ballad “Sarı Zeybek” that was notated by Selim Sırrı Tarcan in his own script. Ege University Department of Folk Dancing Lecturer Abdurrahim Karademir worked as choreography consultant. The students will dedicate their dance, Sonsuz Zeybek, to Atatürk in their performance guided by General Art Director Alaskar Abbasov.

 History of Eternal Zeibek

After the Proclamation of the Republic, Atatürk requested a zeibek choreograpy from folklorist Selim Sırrı Tarcan, where a male and female could dance together and he watched this choreography in İzmir for the first time on October 13, 1925. Atatürk requested to watch the performance repeatedly three times that day and he expressed his admiration to Selim Sırrı Tarcan. The first paired zeibek choreography that was performed at Izmir Girls Training College also symbolizes an important beginning in Turkish history. That day, Atatürk made his following famous remarks:
“Ladies and Gentlemen! Mr. Selim Sırrı Tarcan, while revitalizing his dance, gave it a more civilized form. This creation of the master is accepted and welcomed by all of us and matured enough with its aesthetical form to take part in our national and social lives. We can all tell the Europeans that, “We also have an excellent dance”, and stage this performance everywhere. Zeibek dance, with its new form, can be and should be performed with women in every social hall.”