Women’s Dance Traditions of Uzbekistan

Laurel Victoria Gray is Professor of World Dance at George Washington University, US, and past Adjunct Professor of Dance of the Islamic World at George Mason University, US. In 2007, she was named Honorary Professor at the Uzbekistan State Institute of Arts and Culture in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. She has been the founding artistic director and choreographer for Silk Road Dance Company in Washington DC, US, since 1995.

• List of Illustrations ixForeword xiPreface xiiiAcknowledgments xviNotes on Translation, Transliteration, and Honorifics xviiiTimeline xxPART ONE HIDDEN ROOTS 11 The Goddess and the Dancing Boys 32 The Primacy of Rhythm 27PART TWO THE DANCE ZONES 413 Ferghana Dance 434 Bukhara and Samarkand 555 Khorezm Dance 83PART THREE FROM THE ICHKARI TO THE CONCERT STAGE 976 Mentors and Martyrs 997 Cross-Pollination: Moscow and Paris 1118 From Revolution to Evolution 121PART FOUR TERROR AND WAR 1359 Uprooted: Koreans and Crimean Tatars 13710 The War Front and the Home Front 149PART FIVE THE ARRIVAL OF SPRING 15911 The Blossoming of the Bakhor Ensemble 16112 Constructing Karakalpak Dance 17913 Kizlarkhon Dusmukhamedova—“Queen of All the Girls” 189PART SIX FROM RED STAR TO CRESCENT MOON 19714 New Celebrations for a New Nation 19915 Conclusion: Lessons of Resilience 209Glossary of Dance Related Terms 214Bibliography 217Index 236

A valuable contribution to the field of dance studies and a significant resource for anyone interested in Uzbek culture and history. Gray's meticulous research, insightful analysis, and engaging writing style make this book a must-read for scholars, dancers, and anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of this vibrant and multifaceted art form.