Dances of the Silk Road & Beyond

What's New?

Laurel Victoria Gray at Speaks US State Department

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
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​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.
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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."
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Recent Conference Presentations

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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
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"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.
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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.
Click here for direct link to article on SPUTNIK website.
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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.

New!
Sven Hedin: The Swede Who Discovered Persia
by Laurel Victoria Gray
CLICK HERE FOR FULL ARTICLE

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 
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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

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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/…

Dance Treasures of Uzbekistan

                    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.

Dance Interrupted:
Longing for Iranian Roots

 New article on Persian Dance  for Tirgan Festival Media
by Dr. Laurel Victoria Gray

Silk Road Dance Company performs  at State Department Reception

Lecture at Textile Museum

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Mirror of the Soul:
Women's Dance of the Islamic World
March 25, 2015

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

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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.

Click to Pre Order 
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 – 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.

CLICK HERE TO PRE ORDER

Uzbek Government Honors Laurel Victoria Gray with "Xalqlar Dosligi" Medal

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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."

Silk Road Dance Company
Kicks Off Silver Anniversary at Intersections Festival

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

Laurel Victoria Gray's
Silk Road Dance Company Performs at White House Nowruz Celebration

WASHINGTON, March 11, 2015 UPI
by Danielle Haynes

"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. "

Click here to read  entire UPI article.

NGOMA Spotlights
Laurel Victoria Gray
MAY  - JUNE 2016 issue

CLICK HERE to read full article  pp. 13-16.

Laurel Victoria Gray:
American Pioneer of
Silk Road Dance

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.

American Group Performs Uzbek Dance in Washington DC

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. 

Student Stories:  Bollywood Class with Laurel Victoria Gray

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by  Erika Kottenmeir

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.

New Choreography by
Laurel Victoria Gray Premieres at Azerbaijan Republic Day in DC

National Arab-American Cultural Festival

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.

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Silk Road Dance Culture