Biography
Evrim Akyay and Su Güzey first met as freelance dancers at Aakash Odedra Company (UK) during the production of the piece #Je Suis in 2016, which won the International Amnesty Award of Freedom of Expression in 2017. Thanks to the support of Akbank Sanat, the first piece they have choreographed together is kitty kitty premiered at the 23rd Istanbul Theatre Festival in 2019. With kitty kitty, Akyay and Güzey became part of the Aerowaves Twenty21 artists.
In their work, this tandem of emerging choreographers dig into the idea of the “clown” as a starting point as well as exploring the dynamics of two. By making fun of themselves they seek a unique connection with the audience.
Su Güzey (Istanbul, 1991) is a dancer, performer and choreographer. In 2009, Güzey started studying Management in Performing Arts in Bilgi University and two years later she entered in MSGSÜ State Conservatory of Contemporary Dance, from which she graduated in 2015. As a performer she has worked with choreographers and companies such as Jerome Bel, Helder Seabra and La Fura Dels Baus. In 2014, she presented her choreography Store My DNA, So They Can Regenerate My Soul at İKSV 19th İstanbul Theatre Festival. Since 2015, she has been working with Aakash Odedra. In 2019, she started collaborating with Evrim Akyay with whom she created kitty kitty. Together with Metehan Kayan, she is founder, curator and coordinator of Visibility in Arts Festival (Sanatta Görünürlük Festivali) organised in collaboration with Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, the festival which started in İstanbul is now also taking place in İzmir in collaboration with Budalasultan collective.
Evrim Akyay (Istanbul, 1980) is a choreographer and dancer. He began his dance training in the Yildiz Technical University in 2003 and in the following year started performing with the CRR Dance Theater directed by Geyvan McMillen. In 2008, Akyay was awarded the JFK Performing Arts Exchange scholarship which allowed him to study in New York and Washington DC. Between 2006 and 2012, he worked as a dancer with Zeynep Tanbay Dance Project and became the assistant choreographer of the piece Araz (2010). As a performer, Akyay has also performed with the Jerusalem Dance Theater during two seasons and as part of the DanceMotion USA programme at BAM in New York in 2004. His work as a choreographer includes: Don (2009), Routine (2010), Cage’d (co-created with with Korhan Basaran, 2015) , Simple Present (2016), One by One (2017), TAK (for Visegrad Cultural Festival, 2017), Salı (2018) and Hadi (2019) for Istanbul State Contemporary Dance Company ‘MDTistanbul’. He is still working with Aakash Odedra Company as a freelance dancer touring the piece #Je Suis. Akyay has collaborated with Su Güzey since they created the duet kitty kitty in 2019.