The rich tradition of Turkish folk dancing is being carried on with distinction by students of the İDF Bilkent Middle School. The school’s folk dance troupe, Seven Colors, has won competitions and traveled abroad several times. The number “Seven” in the name refers to Turkey’s regions; the group is dedicated, says a spokesperson, to “showing the world the beautiful colors of the seven regions of Turkey.”
Established in 2013, Seven Colors has performed at school events as well as national and international festivals and competitions. The group took part in the Children’s Festival in Tianjin, China, in 2015 and 2018, and the International Youth folk dance competition in Batumi, Georgia, in 2019. There, Seven Colors was named world champion in the performance and costume categories.
Locally, the dance group has taken first place in the Ankara region each year since 2017; this year marks the fourth time they will be going on to represent Ankara in the national finals.
On April 25, Seven Colors will participate in the Middle Anatolian Competition, representing the Ankara region. And in June, the group will travel to the Catalonia region of Spain to take part in the Grand Alegria International Folk Festival, where it will represent Turkey.