NEW BOOK! Women's Dance Traditions of Uzbekistan:Legacy of the Silk Road
Book Tour Highlights
LONDON BBC Television Embassy of Uzbekistan University of London SOAS SEATTLE Seattle- Tashkent Sister City Association WASHINGTON DC Embassy of Uzbekistan NEW DELHI, INDIA Tillotoma Foundation LARAMIE, WYOMING University of Wyoming Central Asian Student Association WASHINGTON DC Arts Club of Washington CHAMPAIGN URBANA, ILLINOIS University of Illinois Russian, East European, and Eurasian Center
What Scholar and Critics are Saying:
DANCE CHRONICLE (excerpt) "Her rigorous scholarly and practice-based work certainly lends itself to an in-depth exploration of a geographic region rarely explored in dance studies, with a distinct emphasis on women’s dance—an area of expertise few practitioners or scholars can confidently claim....his book contributes significantly to the emerging field of Uzbek dance." Leila Mire "Dancing Women: Navigating Uzbekistan's Cultural Crossroads" DOI: 10.1080/01472526.2024.2374193
CENTRAL ASIAN SURVEY (excerpt) "The author also beautifully situates Uzbekistan at the crossroads of many influences,whether from the Silk Road, Moscow or Paris – or beyond. This is especially clear during Gray’s discussion of ethnic Koreans and Crimean Tatars’ deportation to the region in the 1930s and 40s...I very much hope that Women’s Dance Traditions of Uzbekistan gains a broad audience of scholars and laypeople alike. In so doing, it will spread the story of the Uzbek national dance that Gray has herself both experienced and studied for several decades." Leora Eisenberg "Women’s dance traditions of Uzbekistan: legacy of the silk road" https://doi.org/10.1080/02634937.2024.238546
"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." Dance Professor Emeritus, Dana Tai Soon Burgess, George Washington University
“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.” Dance Professor Emeritus, Maida Winters, George Washington University
“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
CASA Celebrates Central Asian Awareness Day
Professor Emeritus Michael Brown introduces Laurel Victoria Gray CASA Celebrates Central Asian Awareness Day Skylar Lewis, Guest Writer University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming Tuesday, April 23, 2024
As part of the University of Wyoming Central Asian Student Association (CASA) Central Asian Awareness Day and Navruz celebrations, the renowned choreographer, dance scholar and founder of the award-winning Silk Road Dance Company, Dr. Laurel Victoria Gray, also referred to as “the pioneer of Uzbek dance in America,” was invited to UW's campus for two days of presentations and performances from the Silk Road Dance Ensemble.
Michael R. Brown, the UW Emeritus Communications and Journalism professor, who has been working with students and professionals from Kazakhstan since 2012, spoke on the significance of Dr. Gray's work in Central Asia.
“Uzbekistan was at the crossroads of the Silk Road with influence from Turks, Persians, Arabs, Chinese, Uyghurs and Russians, among others. While many Americans may not be familiar with this part of the world, to have an opportunity to work in this part of the world and share it as both very interesting and very important.”
“Dr. Gray's work has received international recognition by the most important academic and cultural organizations who honor dance... she has been named Honorary Professor at the Uzbekistan State Institution of Arts and Culture, invited to participate in Uzbekistan's State Academic Bolshoi Theater, participated in UNESCO's Sharq Taronalari Festival in Samarkand, honored by the Ministry of Culture in Uzbekistan,” and received a Distinguished Service Award from the Embassy of Uzbekistan,” Brown said.
“To be honored by the culture you represent is the highest honor, and a true indication of honesty, accuracy, and high achievement in her work to understand Uzbek dance,” he said.
On Thursday, Dr. Gray took to the Coe Library to not only give a detailed lecture about the long, and at times suppressed, history of dance in Uzbekistan, but also to announce the official publishing of her book, Women's Dance Traditions of Uzbekistan: Legacy of the Silk Road, of which free copies and signings were offered to the attendees present at the lecture. Dr. Gray's presentation illustrated a brief timeline of how this cultural aspect of the Uzbek people, particularly Uzbek women, came to manifest itself, the challenges that women faced and overcame to perform this art in public. While the lecture gave a more encompassing view of the region's history, Dr. Gray's book offers a much more comprehensive overview and further insight into the social into the political, social and cultural aspects of the Silk Road region that calls itself home to Uzbek dance. Friday featured a set of related events from Dr. Gray, her Silk Road Dance Ensemble and well-known dancer and musician, Zamira Salim, as part of CASA's 12th annual Navruz celebration, an event or festival which normally falls on or around March 21 and is widely celebrated in many Central Asian countries like Uzbekistan as the beginning of spring, or the vernal equinox commences. The event was hosted in the Wyoming Union ballroom, and had an impressive turnout, with nearly every seat being taken up by its attendees. Excited to see a live performance of Uzbek dance, and share a free meal in turn.
After some short introductions from CASA’s student president, and Brown, as well as an opening performance from Salim, Dr. Gray introduced herself, her dancers, as well as some of the historical context for their performances, the first of which Dr. Gray introduced as “Kara Jorga,” or “Black Stallion.”
“Greetings dear guests, dear friends,” Gray said. “We're going to take you on a whirlwind tour of Central Asia through dance and the very first place we are going into is Kurdistan [actually Kyrgyzstan], which may seem far away with nothing in common with Wyoming, but you would be wrong because I've seen all the equestrian statues in this town. So we brought you some horses, well actually, horseback riders.” Following the performances of Salm, Dr. Gray’s Silk Road dancers who performed “Black Stallion” and a solo traditional Uzbek dance for attendees, was a short intermission as organizers of the event began to call up tables to serve a traditional Central Asian style dinner, which was provided to the event by one of its sponsors, Thai Spice.
As attendees enjoyed the food and company of others, they were offered consistent entertainment through the rest of the Navruz celebration as the Silk Road Dance Ensemble continued to perform several cultural dances for the crowd until the event’s end.
As part of the University of Wyoming Central Asian Student Association (CASA) Central Asian Awareness Day and Navruz celebrations, the renowned choreographer, dance scholar and founder of the award-winning Silk Road Dance Company, Dr. Laurel Victoria Gray, also referred to as “the pioneer of Uzbek dance in America,” was invited to UW's campus for two days of presentations and performances from the Silk Road Dance Ensemble.
Michael R. Brown, the UW Emeritus Communications and Journalism professor, who has been working with students and professionals from Kazakhstan since 2012, spoke on the significance of Dr. Gray's work in Central Asia.
“Uzbekistan was at the crossroads of the Silk Road with influence from Turks, Persians, Arabs, Chinese, Uyghurs and Russians, among others. While many Americans may not be familiar with this part of the world, to have an opportunity to work in this part of the world and share it as both very interesting and very important.”
“Dr. Gray's work has received international recognition by the most important academic and cultural organizations who honor dance... she has been named Honorary Professor at the Uzbekistan State Institution of Arts and Culture, invited to participate in Uzbekistan's State Academic Bolshoi Theater, participated in UNESCO's Sharq Taronalari Festival in Samarkand, honored by the Ministry of Culture in Uzbekistan,” and received a Distinguished Service Award from the Embassy of Uzbekistan,” Brown said.
“To be honored by the culture you represent is the highest honor, and a true indication of honesty, accuracy, and high achievement in her work to understand Uzbek dance,” he said.
On Thursday, Dr. Gray took to the Coe Library to not only give a detailed lecture about the long, and at times suppressed, history of dance in Uzbekistan, but also to announce the official publishing of her book, Women's Dance Traditions of Uzbekistan: Legacy of the Silk Road, of which free copies and signings were offered to the attendees present at the lecture.
Dr. Gray's presentation illustrated a brief timeline of how this cultural aspect of the Uzbek people, particularly Uzbek women, came to manifest itself, the challenges that women faced and overcame to perform this art in public. While the lecture gave a more encompassing view of the region's history, Dr. Gray's book offers a much more comprehensive overview and further insight into the social into the political, social and cultural aspects of the Silk Road region that calls itself home to Uzbek dance.
Friday featured a set of related events from Dr. Gray, her Silk Road Dance Ensemble and well-known dancer and musician, Zamira Salim, as part of CASA's 12th annual Navruz celebration, an event or festival which normally falls on or around March 21 and is widely celebrated in many Central Asian countries like Uzbekistan as the beginning of spring, or the vernal equinox commences.
The event was hosted in the Wyoming Union ballroom, and had an impressive turnout, with nearly every seat being taken up by its attendees. Excited to see a live performance of Uzbek dance, and share a free meal in turn.
After some short introductions from CASA’s student president, and Brown, as well as an opening performance from Salim, Dr. Gray introduced herself, her dancers, as well as some of the historical context for their performances, the first of which Dr. Gray introduced as “Kara Jorga,” or “Black Stallion.”
“Greetings dear guests, dear friends,” Gray said. “We're going to take you on a whirlwind tour of Central Asia through dance and the very first place we are going into is Kurdistan [actually Kyrgyzstan], which may seem far away with nothing in common with Wyoming, but you would be wrong because I've seen all the equestrian statues in this town. So we brought you some horses, well actually, horseback riders.”
Following the performances of Salm, Dr. Gray’s Silk Road dancers who performed “Black Stallion” and a solo traditional Uzbek dance for attendees, was a short intermission as organizers of the event began to call up tables to serve a traditional Central Asian style dinner, which was provided to the event by one of its sponsors, Thai Spice.
As attendees enjoyed the food and company of others, they were offered consistent entertainment through the rest of the Navruz celebration as the Silk Road Dance Ensemble continued to perform several cultural dances for the crowd until the event’s end.
NEW RELEASE! Women's Dance Traditions of Uzbekistan: Legacy of the Silk Road
The first comprehensive work in English on the three major regional styles of Uzbek women's dance – Ferghana, Khiva, and Bukhara-Samarkand – and their broader Silk Road cultural connections, from folklore roots to contemporary stage dance.
The book surveys the remarkable development from the earliest manifestations in ancient civilizations to a sequestered existence under Islam; from patronage under Soviet power to a place of pride for Uzbek nationhood.
It considers the role that immigration had to play on the development of the dances; how women boldly challenged societal gender roles to perform in public; how both material culture and the natural world manifest in the dance; and it illuminates the innovations of pioneering choreographers who drew from Central Asian folk traditions, gestures and aesthetics – not Russian ballet – to first shape modern Uzbek stage dance.
Written by the first American dancer invited to study in Uzbekistan, this book offers insight into the once-hidden world of Uzbek women's dance.
Book Launch and Presentations
Uzbek Ambassador Furqat Sadiqov and Mrs. Sadiqova with Laurel Victoria Gray at the book for #Women's Dance Traditions of Uzbekistan: Legacy of the Silk Road at the ARTS CLUB of WASHINGTON MARCH 13, 2024
Laurel Victoria Gray at Speaks US State Department Navruz Celebration with Silk Road Dance Company
Laurel Victoria Gray spoke about the commonalities of different Silk Road cultures at the US State Department Navruz/Navruz/Norooz celebration, introducing each dance by Silk Road Dance Company.
Fall 2023! Dean's Seminar at George Washington University Dance Cultures of the Silk Road
Legacy of the Silk Road Concert February 26, 2023 A dance concert by inspired by Laurel Victoria Gray’s forthcoming book “Legacy of the Silk Road,” evoking the history and enchantment of Central Asia and beyond. The dance of an ancient Persian fertility goddess, the Sogdian whirling dance that captivated Chinese poets, and a court dance for the Emir of Bukhara – these are some of the intriguing pieces that will take the audience on a time-traveling journey through the diverse cultural history of the Silk Road.
The Goddess Anahita, Lady of Waters, depicted ancient Central Asia.
"Milestones in Dance History"
"... ten chosen milestones move chronologically from the earliest indigenous rituals and the dance crazes of Eastern trade routes, to the social justice performance and evolving online platforms of modern times."
Recent Conference Presentations
Introduction to Women's Dance Traditions of Uzbekistan: Legacy of the Silk Road, presented at the Lazgi International Festival Scientific Conference in Khiva, Uzbekistan, on April 27, 2024.
Middle Eastern North African and Central Asian Dance Symposium April 13 - 16, 2023 Pomona College
EMBASSY CHEF CHALLENGE 2022 Silk Road Dance Company adds flavor to the Embassy Chef Challenge with women's dances from Azerbaijan. Event held at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. For information and tickets click below: www.gatherbyeventsdc.com/international-city-fest/embassy-chef-challenge
"We in the Washington area are lucky to have the Silk Road Dance company bring us a living version of the Shahnameh. I'm so glad that more people can know of this masterpiece of Persian literature that is over 1,000 years old. And the emphasis that Laurel Victoria Gray, puts on the authenticity of the choreography and the costumes really shines through the performance. There's really nothing like it in the country!" Deborah James
Lecture for the Virtual 43rd Fulbright Association Conference
Exploring Persian Nowruz Traditions with Dr. Laurel Victoria Gray
Presented by The Arts Club of Washington March 17, 2021 6:30pm
For Persian and Central Asian cultures, the New Year is celebrated at the Spring Equinox. This ancient holiday of Nowruz – which means “new day” in Persian - celebrates rebirth and renewal. Through commentary, video, and dance you will learn about unique Persian traditions that help to assure a healthy, happy, and prosperous coming year.
This lecture responds to assertions that contemporary Uzbek stage dance is an artificial Soviet-era invention and examines pre-revolutionary dance traditions among the Central Asian women. Gray proposes a more nuanced understanding of the origins of the gestural heritage of Uzbek dance that reflects traditional life ways, making it a vital element of cultural expression. REGISTRATION: $10 Register at http://www.uzbek-dance.org/
By Alana Hayes EXCERPT FROM ARTICLE "So essentially, for Laurel, Silk Road has been the culmination of a lifelong passion. Her interest in Central Asian cultures began in childhood and grew with her into adulthood. The more she learned and studied, the more she wanted to know and share. She embodies this in every aspect of her personality and her work. She’s made this work an inextricable part of her life. Thanks to that, people like me are able to learn and access even more of the world than they may realize is out there. It’s especially easy in such a big – and, therefore, insular – country to be very unaware of the diversity of the world around you. Because of this, it’s important to have and be grateful for people like Laurel, who make every effort to share with us and teach us what we otherwise may be blind to." CLICK HERE FOR ENTIRE ARTICLE
The Golden Road to Samarkand
February 22, 2020 @ 2:15pm Tickets $25 Atlas Performing Arts Center 1333 H. Street NE Washington DC 20002 A timeless journey in dance to the heart of Central Asia, featuring Silk Road Dance Company and guests artists.
16th Central Asian Dance Camp
Press coverage in Russian and Uzbek about the 16th Central Asian Dance Camp, help at the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Hooray for Bollywood brings all the color and glitter of the Indian film industry to the stage. The performance, presented by Silk Road Dance Company and guest artists, pays homage to the vibrant dance sequences so popular in Indian movies.
Dr. Gray Lectures on Dances of the Arab World
In recognition of the 2019 observance of Arab Heritage Month, Dr. Laurel Victoria Gray presented an introductory lecture on the dances of the Arab World at a federal agency, illustrated with performances of Khaleegy and Tanoura dance by members of Silk Road Dance Company.
The Golden Road To Samarkand May 11, 2019 A timeless journey in dance to the heart of Central Asia and a fabled city at the crossroads of many cultures. Directed by Laurel Victoria Gray. Featuring Silk Road Dance Company with special guest artists
Distinctions
Laurel Victoria Gray Adjunct Professor of Global Dance History George Washington University Internationally recognized dance scholar, choreographer, performer, and costume designer, Laurel Victoria Gray specializes in women’s dances from Silk Road cultures and the Islamic World. Her scholarly articles have appeared in many publications including the Oxford University Press International Encyclopedia of Dance, the Encyclopedia of Modern Asia, the World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre, and the Encyclopedia of Women in Islamic Culture.
Known as “the pioneer of Uzbek dance in America,” Gray has studied dance abroad, including two years at the invitation of Uzbekistan's State Academic Bolshoi Theater. She has lectured, researched, taught and performed dance on five continents, traveling to Egypt, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Australia, Qatar, Singapore, Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the UK and throughout the US. Gray works closely with diaspora communities and embassies to accurately present their cultures. Her ensemble, Silk Road Dance Company, performed at the very first White House Nowruz celebration.
Distinctions
2022 Khiva Uzbekistan Lazgi International Dance Festival 2021 "Xalqlar Dosligi" Medal awarded by Uzbek government 2018 Khiva Uzbekistan "Magic of Dance" Festival Jury Member 2016 London Open Central Asian International Festival Award 2013 Dance Metro DC Choreography Commissioning Project Award 2011 Toronto Tirgan Iranian Arts Festival “Arash” Award 2009 Fulbright Association International Dance Scholar Lecture 2006 Metro DC Dance Awards ''Excellence in Costume Design'' 2007 Uzbekistan Ministry of Culture Recognition 2005 Embassy of Uzbekistan Award for Strengthening US – Uzbek Cultural Ties 2003 International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance Choreographer Award 2003 Kennedy Center Local Dance Commission Project Award 1999 International Academy of Middle Eastern Dance Best Ethnic Dancer Award 1997 Samarkand Sharq Taronalari International Music Festival Jury Member
Major Concert Works 2023 Legacy of the Silk Road 2022 Shahnameh: Adventures from the Book of Kings 2019 The Golden Road to Samarkand (REDUX) 2018 Wedding in Bukhara 2016 Shahnameh Adventures from the Persian Book of Kings 2015 Sven Hedin: Swede on the Silk Road 2013 Bollywood Fever 2011 Haft Paykar: Seven Beauties (REDUX) 2009 Raqiset Shaabia: Folkloric Dances of the Arab World 2008 Legends of the Silk Road 2006 The Golden Road to Samarkand 2005 Haft Paykar: Seven Beauties 2003 EGYPTA: Myth, Magic, and Mystery 2001 Remembering the Legends: 3,000 Years of Women on the Silk Road 1998 The Lion and the Sun: Dances of the Persian Empire
Shahnameh: Adventures from the Persian Book of Kings at Wolf Trap 2017
A magical bird, an evil dragon, a clever princess, and a valiant hero bring to life the Shahnameh, an ancient masterpiece written over a thousand years ago. With vivid choreography and ornate costumes, Silk Road Dance Company presents a fantastical tale from ancient Persia
Silk Road Dance Company at Toronto's Tirgan Festival 2017
Thanks to a special invitation from the Tirgan Festival - and additional support from the Peg and Rick Young Foundation - Silk Road Dance Company gave three performances in Toronto at the world's largest Iranian Arts festival. Their presentations included Baluchi, Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Tajik, and Azerbaijani dance, along with Persian classical and contemporary selections.
Silk Road Dance Company Performs in London at Orzu Arts Festival 2016
LECTURE at University of London SOAS
Living Legacy: Women’s Dances of Uzbekistan Dr. Laurel Victoria Gray
PHOTO BY AUDREY DOHERTY Shaped initially by geography and climate, indigenous Uzbek dances embody communal identity and provide an outlet for personal expression. Dance can also reflect social and political developments, especially the evolution of folkdance to professional art dance. These changes can give insight into Uzbek women’s changing status and the development of national identity. And while folk dance continues to be an integral part of Uzbek family and community events, the forces of urbanization and globalization have significantly impacted these traditions.
Lecture and Performance at the Embassy of Georgia
Silk Road Dance Company will perform at the Embassy of Georgia on July 20th. Want to learn Georgian dance and other Silk Road Dance techniques? Sign up for the Silk Road Dance Company Class this summer! Here is the link: http://www.joyofmotion.org/adult-program-f…/middle-eastern/…
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 2016 @ 8 PM TAKOMA PARK COMMUNITY CENTER AUDITORIUM 7500 MAPLE AVENUE TAKOMA PARK, MD $10 suggested donation
Takoma Park, MD – The beauty and grace of traditional Central Asian dance, will come to Takoma Park on Saturday, May 14th, at 8:00 PM, with a performance by the award-winning Silk Road Dance Company. The concert, part of the We Are Takoma series, celebrates traditional women’s dances of Uzbekistan, providing a glimpse into a culture unfamiliar to most Americans.
Dr. Laurel Victoria Gray and Silk Road Dance Company gave the inaugural presentation at the GW Arts Initiative Program, the Textile Museum's exciting new lecture series featuring GW faculty and other experts.
Reaching beyond Western stereotypes, women's dances of the Islamic world reflect a diversity of styles and purposes. From celebration to courtship or devotion, dance plays a vital role in community identity as well as self-expression. Award-winning dance scholar, choreographer, costume designer, and performer Dr. Laurel Victoria Gray specializes in dances from Silk Road cultures and beyond. Gray teaches world dance at GW and is the founding artistic director of the Silk Road Dance Company. The lecture included dances by soloists from Silk Road Dance Company and was followed by an followed by informal discussion. A collaboration with the Arts Initiative Committee of GW.
An Enduring Art: A Brief Introduction to Women's Dance of Iran by Dr. Laurel Victoria Gray
Published by Gilded Serpent.com, my new article on Iranian dance, illustrated with beautiful photographs, appears in a dance anthology that is available through Amazon.
Uzbek Government Honors Laurel Victoria Gray with "Xalqlar Dosligi" Medal
At the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Washington DC
From Uzbek Ambassador Javlon Vakhabov:
"A wonderful evening The Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the U.S. and Canada hosted yesterday [October 29,2021] launching the 18th Central Asian Dance Camp. It was my great honor to present the award “Friendship Among The Peoples” to Laurel Victoria Gray (Silk Road Dance Company) for her invaluable contribution to enhancing people-to-people ties and promoting #Uzbekistan culture in the U.S.
Laurel Khanum has not only dedicated her life mastering Uzbek dance in the U.S. and far beyond, but also remains most humble, professional, and passionate about what she is doing. And this lady is an internationally recognized scholar, choreographer, performer, costume designer, pioneer of Uzbek dance in America. I am inspired by her noble personality that always searches for new discoveries.
Laurel Khanum has mastered dances from Silk Road cultures and beyond. She combines her degrees in history with decades of field research and teaches dance at The George Washington University. Dr. Gray founded the award-winning Silk Road Dance Company (SRDC) in 1995, bringing the lovers of our culture together at the Central Asian Dance Camp annually, showing the beauty during many events across the U.S. and far beyond.
Dr. Laurel Victoria Gray, in one word, is our treasure in the U.S. Thank you for everything you have been doing over the years. I hope to continue our long-lasting friendship."
February 18, 2020 by Leslie Holleran What better way to launch a dance company’s 25th year than with a sumptuous performance? And so, Silk Road Dance Company will perform The Golden Road to Samarkand at Atlas Performing Arts Center’s Intersections Festival in Washington, D.C., on February 22. CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLE
"The Silk Road Dance Company performed Wednesday in the East Room of the White House in celebration of the more than 3,000-year-old holiday. The official start of the nearly two-week observance is March 21, coinciding with the Spring Equinox. "
An award-winning choreographer, performer, dance scholar and costume designer, Dr. Laurel Victoria Gray has devoted her life to mastering dances from Silk Road cultures and beyond. She combines her degrees in history with decades of field research into Islamic civilizations, cultures, and traditions. Dr. Gray's scholarly articles have appeared in many publications. She has taught and performed throughout the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, and the East. She has lectured extensively and currently teaches World Dance at George Washington University.
Known as 'the pioneer of Uzbek dance in America', Dr. Gray first became involved in cultural exchange in 1979 and has led several arts delegations to the former USSR. She founded the award-winning Silk Road Dance Company (SRDC) in 1995 with the goal of fostering “cultural understanding through Beauty and Delight.” SRDC performs throughout the United States --and in Samarkand, Doha, Singapore, and Toronto -- sharing traditional Iranian, Turkic and Arabic cultures.
An alchemical artist, Laurel Victoria Gray creates enchanted worlds woven from her knowledge of history, literature, music and dance, breathing life into ancient civilizations with her magical concert length works, like Egypta, Haft Paykar: Seven Beauties, The Golden Road to Samarkand,The Pearl of the Gulf, Bollywood Fever, and more.
Known for her memorable, poetic choreographies based on the movement vocabulary of traditional Persian, Arabic and Central Asian dance forms, Dr. Gray has created her own systems for teaching traditional Arabic and Persian dance, as well as an innovative movement technique known as “Silk Road Synthesis.”
Greatly influenced by her dance studies on five continents, Dr. Gray combines both Eastern and Western methodology in her classes, encouraging students to refine their technique while building confidence and exploring self-expression. As an instructor and lecturer, she conveys information in an organized fashion, spiced with humor and charm.
A wide variety of World Dance workshop offerings reflect Dr. Gray's lifetime of study and travel -- Russian Romani ("Gypsy"), Dance of Turkic Nomads, Classical Persian Dance, Central Asian styles, Azerbaijani, Ancient Egyptian and many other exciting and unique topics.
She believes that since dance predates spoken language as a form of human communication, we all can access it as a universal source of joy and ecstasy.
12 August 2014 UZBEK NEWS SERVICE 24In 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 features of Uzbek folk dance to the present public in detail.
The Bollywood Performance Class at Joy of Motion Dance Center has turned out to be so much more than a dance class. Dr. Gray, a professor at The George Washington University, has not only instructed us in the steps of a dance in the traditional kathak style, but also taught us the intention behind each movement. By explaining the meaning of the lyrics and the cultural context, she helps us convey the right amount of emotion in each step, which I’ve learned is so important in a dance style where your eyes say as much as your body. Subtle movements are far more difficult to execute than large, dramatic steps, but as we practice together to achieve synchrony, it is becoming clear that small movements can have a very large impact. It has been fascinating to learn this new language. I am very excited to be a part of the Bollywood performance, and have thoroughly enjoyed my class with Dr. Gray. READ ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE: https://danceisforeveryone.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/student-stories-bollywood-performance-class-with-laurel-victoria-gray/
Wedding Performance Featured in the Washingtonian
Dr. Gray has researched wedding traditions of many Eastern cultures, preserving and adapting them for contemporary brides. The result? Silk Road Signature TM Weddings have become popular in Iranian, Afghan, Uzbek, Tajik, Egyptian, Lebanese, Azerbaijan, and South Asian communities.
Dr. Laurel Victoria Gray and her Silk Road Dance Company performed on April 25, 2015, in Washington, DC, for the first National Arab - American Dance Festival. Traditional dance styles and costumes from Egypt, North Africa, and the Gulf will dance provided a taste of the diversity of Arab culture.
New Persian Choreography Nowruz Festival
On a beautiful, breezy day in Alexandria, Virginia,, Silk Road Dance Company battled the elements to perform a new choreography by Laurel Victoria Gray, set to music by Andy.
