Deniz Erkan Sancak was born and raised in Ankara, Türkiye. Jumpstarting his career with the Turkish National team for Latin-Ballroom Dance sports, he went on to perform contemporary works under his mentor Binnaz Dorkip. After being awarded the Shipley BTF (Bridge to Türkiye Fund) impact scholarship, he moved to NYC to attend the SUNY Purchase College Conservatory of Dance as a recipient of the Adopt-a-Dancer Scholarship program and graduated in 2022. Sancak has worked with companies including Ankara State Opera and Ballet, Tatbikat Theatre, Wonderbound, The Metropolitan Opera, and as a guest artist with the Mark Morris Dance Group. As a freelancer based in NYC, he currently works with choreographers Yoshiko Chuma, Douglas Dunn, Christopher Williams, Liz Gerring, Ellen Cornfield, and Emily Pope. He joined the Stephen Petronio Company in 2023.
Deniz on Instagram
Photo by Sarah Silver.