Dance of Soul and Love
The London premiere of the Lazgi ballet took place in the London Coliseum Theatre on September 14, 2024. The performance was a complete sell-out, highlighting the London public's immense interest in Uzbekistan, the finest hub of the Silk Road.
Rosa Vercoe, a St Albans-based contributor from the UK, took the opportunity to interview Nadira Khamraeva, Honorary Artist of Uzbekistan and prima-ballerina of the National Ballet of Uzbekistan. In the interview, Rosa explored Nadira’s career milestones, what makes Lazgi unique, and the powerful message it conveys to the world.
Nadira, you were born into a very creative and well-known family in Uzbekistan. Your mother, Guli Khamraeva, was the People’s Artist of Uzbekistan, an outstanding ballerina, actress, pedagogue, and the head of Uzbekistan’s National Academy of Choreography. Was your mother a major influence in your decision to become a ballerina?
Not at all! Quite the opposite! My mother tried her hardest to discourage me from pursuing a professional ballet career. She knew all too well the gruelling life of a ballerina—the sweat, the tears, the blood (literally), the injuries, the constant physical strain, the 24/7 dedication to the profession, the tough regime, and the unconventional working hours. People often see only the glamorous side of our work—flowers, applause, and encore invitations—but few are aware of the long hours spent in training to appear so graceful and 'carefree' on stage. Theatre was a natural part of my childhood, and I was already familiar with the backstage challenges faced by ballerinas. Ballet is beautiful but demanding, both physically and emotionally.
“Ballet is beautiful but demanding, both physically and emotionally.”
Yet, this only strengthened my decision to follow my dream of becoming a ballerina. Mum and I made a "pact": if I ever started complaining about the struggles of ballet training, she would transfer me to a regular school. I took on the challenge with determination, and I’ve never looked back! Over the eight years I studied ballet, there were countless moments of sweat, blood, tears, and inevitable injuries—but I’m proud to say I never broke my promise to my mum. I can't imagine any other profession for myself!
Guli Khamraeva, the People’s Artist of Uzbekistan, an outstanding ballerina, actress, pedagogue, and the head of Uzbekistan’s National Academy of Choreography.
Nadira, what was your first serious role in the theatre?
My first serious role was playing Mashen’ka in ‘The Nutcracker’. I was only 17 at the time, and my debut as a proper ballerina took place at Alisher Navoi Grand Theatre in Tashkent on September 17, 2003. It’s hard to recall how it went because I was overwhelmed with emotions - excitement, nerves, and a whirlwind of feelings all at once. It felt like a bright flash. Later, when I watched a recording of my performance, I didn’t like it. I never enjoy watching recordings of my dancing—it’s normal! My mother always advised me that once you become satisfied with your performance, it’s a sign of regression. You must keep learning and perfecting your technique, she would say.
Nadira, now, let’s talk about Lazgi. What makes this ballet unique?
Lazgi is the only ballet in the world that combines three styles: folkloric, classical, and contemporary ballet. It’s an extraordinary fusion of these styles, choreographed by Raimondo Rebeck, a renowned German choreographer. The Khorezm Lazgi represents the folkloric aspect of the production, brilliantly performed by Dilnoza Artykova, a professional Lazgi dancer born in Khorezm. The National Ballet of Uzbekistan handled the contemporary and classical parts of the performance.
The music is also integral to the success of Lazgi. While I wouldn’t describe the music as conventional for an Uzbek ballet production (especially during the Business scene), it integrates seamlessly with the dance, resulting in a magical and deeply spiritual performance. The choreography, created by Raimondo Rebeck, is complemented by the music of Canadian composer Davidson Jaconello (a former dancer), stage design by Japanese media artist Yoko Seyama, lighting effects by Tim Waclawek, and costumes by Frol Burimskiy.
Lazgi is a unique piece of art because it draws directly from Khorezm dance, a style you can only experience in Uzbekistan. We are proud to share this ballet with the international audience. In each country we visit, we leave behind a piece of our hearts. We are delighted to tour the world, showcasing the beauty and uniqueness of our national ballet, the skill of our dancers, and the richness of our culture and music, all while promoting Uzbekistan. Many people are still unfamiliar with our country, and through dance, we can tell the story of our land. I firmly believe that humankind's earliest 'language' was dance—our ancient ancestors expressed themselves through movement, mimicking the behaviour of animals, the sounds of birds, and the rhythms of nature—long before verbal language emerged.
So, our mission is to use dance to showcase Uzbekistan's beauty and uniqueness, and Lazgi does just that!
Why was Lazgi chosen as the basis for this ballet? Why not Tanovar or another popular Uzbek dance?
The idea and inspiration for Lazgi ballet came from Saida Mirziyoyeva. It was a timely initiative following UNESCO’s decision to include Khorezm Lazgi in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2019. This recognition led to numerous initiatives to preserve, research, and promote Lazgi globally. The Lazgi ballet embodies everything Uzbekistan is proud of: respect for our rich history, culture, and nature, a deep connection between past and present, and a bright outlook for the future. It also reflects the national character of our people: our love for our country, our pride, kindness, generosity, and the unique identity that remains strong in an increasingly globalised world.
Was Lazgi technically challenging for the dancers, given the mixture of three different choreographic styles?
All our dancers are professionally trained and familiar with the three main schools of Uzbek dance: Ferghana, Bukhara, and Khorezm. However, it was decided that the Khorezm Lazgi dance should be performed by a professional folk dancer. So, Dilnoza Artykova performed the traditional Lazgi solo, while the other ballet dancers performed in the background.
Raimondo was the author of the Lazgi libretto and the chief choreographer. Was it difficult to work with him, given the new and unconventional choreographic style, which seemed to break with the traditional Uzbek dance canon?
Yes, the challenge lay in the level of emotional restraint Raimondo required. We are expressive people, and we love to show our emotions and feelings fully, whether through our dance moves or facial expressions.
With Raimondo, however, we had to temper that natural expressiveness. He wanted a more refined, European style of dance, which wasn’t easy for us at first, but we eventually adapted. Overall, working with Raimondo was intense but incredibly interesting and rewarding. What we most appreciate and are thankful for is that this production was created specifically for Uzbek dancers from scratch—a truly bespoke project, supported by the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF) and personally by Gayane Umerova, the Head of ACDF.
Acknowledgments
The author would like to thank Gulnora Musaeva, the Director of the Bakhor State Dance Ensemble, for her help in organising this interview.
Author Bio:
Rosa Vercoe is an independent researcher specializing in Central Asian dance. Her articles have been published by BBC Uzbek, Voices on Central Asia, Jahon News, Dunyo Information Agency (Uzbekistan), and CAAN (Central Asia Analytical Network). Her notable works include articles on Lazgi dance and Tamara Khanum's London performance in 1935, also published by BBC Uzbek. Rosa’s findings about Tamara Khanum in London have been included in the award-winning documentary Legends of Uzbek dance by Ruslan Saliev.
Rosa is a regular participant in international dance conferences and Lazgi festivals in Uzbekistan. From 2022 to 2024, she served as Chairperson of the British Uzbek Society in London, overseeing its event programming and activities. In 2021, she was awarded a medal in honour of the 30th anniversary of Uzbekistan's Independence at the House of Lords in London.
Rosa Vercoe and Nadira Khamraeva
