Uzbek Dance and Culture Society

Upcoming Events!

News from the
Uzbek Dance and Culture Society
May 14, 2016 -
​A capacity crowd filled the Takoma Auditorium for the
"Dance Treasures of Uzbekistan" concert, part of the We Are Takoma series. In addition to beautiful dances presented by Silk Road Dance Company in traditional costumes, audiences members enjoyed a stunning film about the historic cities of Uzbekistan. After the concert, the Embassy of Uzbekistan hosted a reception featuring Uzbek cuisine.
  • August 5, 2014.      The Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Washington, DC, presented Silk Road Dance Company in an all-Uzbek concert at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.    
    VIEW DANCE CONCERT   AT THIS LINK




  • February 19, 2015. An Edwardian Evening Along the Silk Road was presented at the Arts Club of Washington, DC. The concert invited guests to travel back in time to hear the adventures of Swedish explorer Sven Hedin - "the last great explorer" - who mapped vast expanses of the Silk Road. His riveting accounts of explorations from 1885 to 1908, were illustrated by traditional dances places he visited, including Bukhara and Samarkand. Special guest artists, Tabla for Two, provided mesmerizing Afghan music and set the mood for an enchanted evening.                                                                                      

Discover Uzbek Dance!
Founded in 1985, by Dr. Laurel Victoria Gray the Uzbek Dance and Culture Society builds bridges of understanding between East and West through the preservation and promulgation of traditional Central Asian arts.

Activities include cultural exchange programs, concert tours, lectures, dance demonstrations, master classes with leading Uzbek artists, and other events. 

The Uzbek Dance and Culture Society (UDCS) organized the  U.S. tours for the "Artists of Uzbekistan" (1989) and the "Uzbekistan Folklore Ensemble" (1990), as well as assisting with the 2001 Kennedy Center concert by Tashkent's Ensemble Munojot.    

In 1988, at the invitation of Uzbekistan's Union of Theatrical Workers, the Uzbek Dance and Culture Society traveled to Uzbekistan and Georgia. The historic 1989 delegation, with 30 participants, returned to Uzbekistan to work closely with artists from Tashkent's professional theatres. 
 
Since 1995, the Central Asian Dance Camp has provided opportunities for Americans to study traditional Uzbek, Tajik,  Uighur, Afghan and Persian dance with master instructors. The first camps took place in Santa Fe, New Mexico, then relocated to Washington, DC, where they have been held at various locations, including the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan. (See photo below.)







Central Asian Dance Camp venues are usually spacious dance studios with mirrors. Meals prepared by professional chefs are often provided for the partipants. A Silk Road Bazaar offers dance costumes, music, and other hard-to-find items for sale.
 
The Uzbek Dance and Culture Society has hosted leading Uzbek artists including Qizlarhon Dusmuhamedova, Qadir Muminov, Viktoria "Violat" Akilova, Shakir Ahmedov, Habibulla Rasulov,  as well as the Uzbekistan Dance Ensemble.

American Dance Group presents Uzbek Dance
​in Washington DC

12 August 2014
​UZBEK NEWS SERVICE  24

In the Center for the Performing Arts named after John Kennedy was held a concert entitled "Dancing in Uzbekistan."
On the event, organized by the Embassy of the country in the United States in conjunction with the American dance group Silk Road Dance Company («Dance Ensemble Silk Road"), attended representatives of the American socio-political, academic communities and the general public of the city.As reported by "Jahon", Silk Road Dance Company has performed more than ten traditional classical Uzbek dances, such as "Mavrigi", "Dilhirozh", "Guldast", "Pilla", "Boy Boy", "Samarkand ushogi", "Keling Gullar" "Katta uyin" in national costumes.
Before the demonstration of each dance, Laurel Gray who was the leading musical evening artistic director was telling central feature of  Uzbek folk dance to the present public in detail. 
​CLICK HERE for link to article

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