Ecem Yuksei

Ecem began her ballet journey at the age of four at Istanbul University State Conservatory. Her early talent led to opportunities as a child ballet dancer with the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet, giving her valuable experience in professional performances from a young age.Ecem transferred to Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University State Conservatory, where she studied until 2016. She further enhanced her skills by attending summer intensives at the Royal Academy of Dance in London and the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Connecticut and New York. Ecem performed at various national and international ballet festivals, including the Bodrum Ballet Festival and the Dance Open Ballet Festival where she performed at the Hermitage Theatre in St. Petersburg during the Young Stars Gala.Ecem won second prize in the classical ballet category at the Anna Pavlova Ballet Competition in The Hague, Netherlands. She then joined the Bolshoi Ballet Academy (Московская государственная академия хореографии) full-time in Moscow, Russia, where she continued her studies. She obtained her pedagogical formation on the Russian System theoretical and methodological classical dance education program  to become a ballet teacher.

Ecem pursued her academic education at Kansas State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition, Dietetics, and Health. During her time in Kansas State, she volunteered with dietitians across the U.S., gaining experience in areas such as sports nutrition, pre-and post-natal nutrition, clinical nutrition, diabetes, multicultural nutrition, gut and immune health, startup company management, social media management, and SEO blog writing for dietitians. She is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology at Columbia University, Teachers College.

Ecem is a chapter leader of the Bridge Dance Project. She is also an active member of the Lions International Clubs' Leo program.