Özdemir Turan (born January 21, 1950) is a Turkish

acrobat Acrobatics () is the performance of human feats of balance, agility, and motor coordination. Acrobatic skills are used in performing arts, sporting events, and martial arts. Extensive use of acrobatic skills are most often performed in acro ...

. He began his career in 1962 as one of the first Turkish performers of acrobatics. He was taught by Selim Oktulmuş from

Salonika Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area, and the capi ...

Background

Turan was born in

Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...

. In 1957, at the age of seven, he attended acrobatic festivals in Istanbul and took an interest in the subject. The following year, he met the acrobat Selim Oktulmus in

Taksim Square Taksim Square ( tr, Taksim Meydanı, ), situated in Beyoğlu in the European part of Istanbul, Turkey, is a major tourist and leisure district famed for its restaurants, shops, and hotels. It is considered the heart of modern Istanbul, with the c ...

, and expressed his own desire to be an acrobat. However, Oktulmus did not accept him as a student because he did not believe that Turan was skilled enough. By 1967, Turan had become a prominent acrobat. For the first time, he worked in the Istanbul Circle. In 1970, he went to Europe and became a successful acrobat there. In the 1990s, he worked exclusively in Turkey, taking part in various festivals. He currently works in

dentistry Dentistry, also known as dental medicine and oral medicine, is the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. It consists of the study, diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions ...

, but still performs as an acrobat.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Turan, Ozdemir 1950 births Living people Acrobats Turkish male entertainers