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Ercüment Kılıç was born in Ankara, Turkey, to parents of Azerbaijan background (Eastern Turkey near the Russian border).
Ercüment had early education and training in music and dance, was a member of the Turkish Folklore Ensemble of Ankara, and was a member of the Turkish National Ensemble. He came to the United States in 1977 to obtain a college education. Taking up residence in Texas, he graduateed from The University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Economics. He was invited for seminars and lectures during his university years to all fifty states of the U.S., and to Canada, England, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan.
Through personal lectures, as well as numerous TV and radio programs, he has promoted Turkish culture and discussed Turkish politics around the world. With his orchestra, he has also produced a number of musical recordings that have been made available to musicologists in many countries. He is known worldwide for his contributions to the promotion of Turkish culture and has written various cultural articles that have been published in a number of languages.
Ercüment was a long-time president of the Turkish association TURANT, he initiated many grassroots activities and projects that were later adopted by other Turkish-American organizations around the country. Among these activities was the participation of local Turkish Americans in PBS TV programs; Meals on Wheels type projects, such as Turkish Angels; and the foundation of Turkish Women's Leagues for the Republican and Democratic Parties in Dallas, Texas.
He also was instrumental in securing additional Congressional members to the then newly founded Turkish Caucus in the US Congress. He worked as a volunteer in the election campaigns of various American politicians and, in 1990, organized a fact-finding mission trip to Azerbaijan and Crimea during extremely turbulent times in the region for former Congressman Jim Moody of Wisconsin, the first American Congressman to visit Azerbaijan.
In 2002, Ercüment moved to Washington, D.C. to assume the post of president of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) and has subsequently initiated various new programs for the Turkish-American community of 300,000, such as internships at the US Congress for Turkish-American students and a national voter registration drive for the Turkish-Americans.
Dances Ercüment has taught include
Can Bakö,
Çano,
Cilveli Oy,
Coçkun Çoruh,
Fidaya,
Mendo Bari,
Reyhan,
Üç Ayak,
Van Suite,
and
Yoh Yoh.
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