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For years, ballet was not even part of her plans. She did not grow up in studios or begin training at the age most professional ballerinas do.
Today, Buse Babadag holds a historic distinction as the first Turkish dancer to reach the rank of principal ballerina in the United States, performing with the San Antonio Ballet at the highest professional level.
Her ballet journey began relatively late, before taking her from Istanbul to Munich and then across the Atlantic to the United States.
Buse Babadag was born in Istanbul and began ballet at the age of 11, an unusually late age in the ballet world.
She joined her first class only because a close childhood friend insisted. “I remember thinking, ballet, really?” she recalled while speaking to T24. “It felt like a once a week activity, nothing more.”
Later, she entered the audition for Istanbul University State Conservatory almost by chance.
After the exam, the head of the ballet department asked to speak with her mother, explaining that Babadag showed strong instinct and musicality, especially during the improvisation section. She was encouraged to apply for full time training and was accepted.
“I was unsure about everything until the last moment,” she said. “But once I started, I wanted to stretch more, turn more, and improve every single day.”
At 15, Babadag moved alone to Munich after being accepted into one of Europe’s most competitive ballet programs on her first attempt.
Out of 72 candidates from around the world, only 5 were selected. “They took me as their first choice,” she said. “None of us could believe it.”
She trained under the Vaganova technique, a classical Russian system known for its physical and mental intensity.
Because she had started later than her peers, she worked relentlessly. “After classes in Istanbul, I would go home and stretch for two more hours,” she said. “In Munich, it was the same.”
The first two years were especially difficult, but the experience reshaped her as a dancer; “By the third year, everything came together. I am glad I stayed and endured it.”
She completed her Bachelor of Dance degree at 18, giving her the opportunity to audition internationally.
Buse Babadag initially imagined her future in Europe, drawn to cities like Prague. However, visa limits and timing worked against her.
As her student visa was about to expire, she and a close friend sent their resumes and videos to ballet companies across the United States on impulse.
The next day, Tulsa Ballet responded with an offer. “They told me they loved my work, but the visa process was uncertain,” she said. “Still, they wanted to give me a starting level contract.”
Days later, a long-awaited European contract finally arrived. She turned it down. “I cried while declining it,” she said. “But somehow I knew America was where I needed to be.”
Her U.S. career developed quickly, with performances at Tulsa Ballet, Dance Alive National Ballet in Florida, and Indiana Ballet.
During this period, she trained in Balanchine and Cuban techniques, adding speed and sharpness to her classical foundation.
That technical range eventually led her to San Antonio Ballet, where she joined as a soloist. Four years later, she reached the highest rank in the profession.
“A principal dancer carries the entire story on stage,” Babadag said. “If you dance Cinderella, people come to see you. You are responsible for everything the audience feels.”
Her promotion was announced on stage by artistic director Sofiane Sylve. “She told me she wanted to announce it in front of the audience,” Babadag recalled. “There are only three principals in the company, and I became the first Turkish ballerina to reach that level in the U.S.”
On December 27 and 28, Babadag will perform "The Nutcracker" at Sureyya Opera House in Istanbul, marking her first appearance before a Turkish audience. “Only my mother has ever watched me live,” she said. “Now my entire family will be there. That means everything to me.”
She will perform with the Young Ballet Community, a newly formed ensemble designed to ease the transition from training to professional life. Babadag described the initiative as essential for dancers in Türkiye.
“In Europe and the U.S., second companies soften that transition. In Türkiye, dancers are often pushed directly into opera companies. This fills a major gap.”
Outside the stage, Babadag has explored entrepreneurship and education.
She previously founded a coffee brand called Buse and Rose, inspired by a lifestyle blog she ran in her early twenties. She later paused the business due to her demanding performance schedule.
She is also studying mathematics and finance through an online degree program. “Ballet takes almost all my time,” she said. “But one day, I hope to use this knowledge to help manage ballet companies.”
For a dancer who once questioned what ballet had to do with her life, Babadag’s story now reflects persistence, risk, and long term commitment. “America pushes you to prove yourself every day,” she said. “As long as you are good enough, you belong on stage.”
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