Aslahan is an award-winning international performer and instructor based in Boston, MA. She began her dance training in 1992, quickly developing a passion for Turkish Oryantal and Turkish Romani styles. She has come to be known for her lyrical flow, fiery stage presence, mastery of finger cymbals, and passionate performances to the beloved Turkish 9/8 rhythms. She has performed at country clubs, museums, film premieres, New Year galas, and belly dance festivals, as well as appearing in music videos and feature films.
Aslahan's major influences include Eva Cernik, Anahid Sofian, Sema Yildiz, Tulay Karaca, Reyhan Tuzsuz, and of course her mentor, the amazing Artemis Mourat. In 2013 she won first place in the Turkish Professional category of the MidWest Dance Competition, the first competition in the U.S. to have such a category.
As an instructor she believes in breaking down technique in multiple ways, and in identifying and communicating those fine insights that take a dancer from merely good to mesmerizing. She teaches classes and private lessons in Boston and online, and teaches workshops throughout the United States. Her website contains a collection of online articles on various aspects of Turkish Oryantal and Turkish Romani dance, and her articles have been published in Belly Dance New England Magazine. She has presented (lecture and performance) on the history and artistry of Oriental dance for the ethnomusicology departments of Babson and Wellesley Colleges. In 2014 she released her instructional DVD on integrating finger cymbals into performance.
Aslahan is dedicated to keeping what Artemis has termed "Classical Turkish Oryantal" alive, and in passing on the history and culture connected with this dance to her students.
