Description: The first comprehensive work in English on the three major regional styles of Uzbek women's dance and their broader Silk Road cultural connections, from folklore roots to contemporary stage dance.
Brief description:
Laurel Victoria Gray is a past Adjunct Professor of Global Dance at George Washington University, US, and of Dance of the Islamic World at George Mason University, US. Honors include Uzbekistan's Xalqlar Do'stligi "Friendship of the People" medal (2022), Fulbright's Selma Jeanne Cohen International Dance Scholar Lecture (2009). 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.
http: //www.laurelvictoriagray.com
http: //www.silkroaddance.com
www.uzbekdance.org
Review Quotes:
"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." --Asian Dance Journal
"Author, Laurel Victoria Gray, through her ground-breaking book, Women's Dance Traditions of Uzbekistan, reveals a comprehensive and fearless probe into the little-known passion and courage of women of Uzbekistan. Gray, a brilliant teacher, colleague and world-class cultural scholar at George Washington University, Washington, DC, delivers enormous insight into the often closed-door worlds of women along the Silk Road." --Maida Withers, Professor of Dance, George Washington University, USA "The first comprehensive book on Uzbek dance, its history and geography ... The book's unique features and scholarly merit make it a standout contribution to the field, placing it firmly in the "must-read" category ... This long-awaited publication...deserves high recognition." --Dr Razia Sultanova, University of Cambridge, UK "Beautifully situates Uzbekistan at the crossroads of many influences, whether from the Silk Road, Moscow or Paris ... It will spread the story of the Uzbek national dance that Gray has herself both experienced and studied for several decades." --Central Asian Survey "This book contributes significantly to the emerging field of Uzbek dance ... It aptly performs the rich diversity of Uzbekistan's landscape by illustrating the complexity of its people and dances." --Dance Chronicle "Gray's quality research is informed by over forty years of scholarship that includes academic training as a historian, complemented by embodied knowledge as a dancer, choreographer, and educator. Her dedication to Central Asian dance and cultural diplomacy enable her to seamlessly share a unique insider's perspective of the origins and the development of the region's dances." --Dana Tai Soon Burgess, Dance Professor Emeritus, George Washington University, USA (from the Foreword)