ASTANA – The Astana Ballet Theatre presented “The Heritage of the Great Steppe,” a play produced in an authentic interpretation of traditional Kazakh dances by Honorary artists of Kazakhstan Aigul Tati and Mukaram Avakhri, on Dec. 14.
Photo: A scene from “The Heritage of Great Steppe” ballet. Photo credit: Astana Ballet.
The event was dedicated to the Independence Day of Kazakhstan.
“The Heritage of Great Steppe” mesmerizes the public with a bold and exquisite statement of deep ethnographic and figurative narration about the country’s national identity in the language of dance. The romantic narrative of the nomadic lifestyle, the description of the seasons and nature in Kazakhstan, and history itself blossoms into a marvelous art that appeals to the audience’s souls.
Photo: A scene from “The Heritage of Great Steppe” ballet. Photo credit: Astana Ballet.
The signature performance of the Astana Ballet previously earned acclaim and praise.
“I had the task of presenting the national dance in a slightly different way, and we look at them from various angles,” said choreographer Aigul Tati. “The concert program embraces everything valuable in our culture, and through the dance, we are trying to look into the hearts of people. A Kazakh dance can be recognized by the graceful moves of hands and the way a girl walks. Nevertheless, the directions in modern dance are expanding, and young dancers always improvise. They add new elements of plastique. This is especially true for ballet. I sincerely believe that one should allow experimentation, but we must preserve the uniqueness of the national folklore dance. In that sense, there is a strict canon, and it is necessary to maintain the proper costume, style, and music.”
Photo: A scene from “The Heritage of Great Steppe” ballet. Photo credit: Astana Ballet.
The amazing stories of the steppe are depicted in colorful, cheerful scenes, supplemented with elaborately embroidered beautiful costumes, which contribute to creating a national flavor and heartwarming music that highlights the artists’ choreography.
