New Style in Kazakh Dance Theatre?

By Daniele Pasquino

Last night I had a new opportunity to be able to attend a new show "Kazakh Souveniers" presented by the Astana Dance Theatre "Naz" at the Makhambet Drama Theatre in Atyrau. I went half convinced to see the usual show of Kazakh music and dance, whereas, more astonished than ever I found myself in front of the dance and music company of Astana, and my critical spirit could be fed with positive things.

The skills of the director Erkebulan Agimbaev, and his wife Kadisha Agimbaeva who is the choreographer, as well as costume designers, were exceptional, by choice and quality, not to mention the timing and the high quality of the figures that dance has reached levels very close to the professionalism of the top artists in music and theatre ballet.

Classical music it was, that's fine , but finally arranged in a truly new and readily catchy, brightly colored costumes, designed in a modern if not futuristic style while respecting the dictates of folkloristic without breaking the tradition, excellent choreography, with innovative figures (the extraordinary inclusion- in a piece of music, of the Sirtaki Greek steps in the wake of the great Moisseyev and performed in a quartet against of traditional octet). The execution of the three solo dance in which the dancers seemed even fun to dance, and the four singers also did not give any chance of negative criticism and left me literally astonished by the grace of dancing, singing and yet professionalism in the organization itself.

The only drawback, really bad for the theater building and not for a dance troupe, was the continuous wandering in the use of lights! The program could have been a potpourri of colors and dancing flowers, but for the mismanagement of the sector lights, costumes colored in blue light were illuminated with  purple, or yellow or pink in gorgeous costumes were illuminated with contrasting colors and blurred. A commitment that the Theatre of Atyrau should implement is to allow the representation of sets to the public very well balanced, and not in the dark by lighting in the wrong manner. The acoustic was completely untreated.

My sympathy and hope of increasing success for this young dance company that is full of great vitality, that manages to keep synchronism in a group of 46 dancers (only half of the troupe arrived to Atyrau). At the end of the show the toupe dancers invited the audience to dance along the famous "Kara Zhorga' dance, which was a pure novelty in  Atyrau. What an ultimate experience in my life! 

Photos by the author