Peles Gift 
by Laurel Victoria Gray

Magical adventures at the 1999 Visionary Dance Retreat in Maui, Hawaii.

"I know exactly what I want to do for the ritual dance into the sea. I want to be Pele," I told the sponsor . Only later did I realize how audacious was my decision, a decision which launched me on an unusual adventure into anoth ...More

A Brief Introduction to Persian Dance 

A Brief Introduction to Persian Dance
Copyright 2002 and 2007
by Laurel Victoria Gray


The very antiquity and richness of Persian culture renders the term "Persian dance" both vague and inadequate; it can be applied to a variety of regions, ethnicities and historical periods, making a strict definition difficult. “Persian ...More

Arabic"Raqs Sharqi" Dance Classes with Laurel Victoria Gray 
A WEEKLY DOSE OF EASTERN DANCE

Dancing novices and veterans learn lessons from cool teacher

Thursday, April 13, 2006
by Dennis Carter
Staff Writer
THE GAZETTE

As Laurel Victoria slipped on her worn, pink dancing slippers, the belly-dancing teacher described her students’ motivation with an eloquence of a globa ...More

Dance Publications and Articles 
A representative bibliography of recent articles by Laurel Victoria Gray on Uzbek dance, Georgian dance, Central Asian culture, dance criticism, Egyptian dance, dance in the Islamic World and related topics.

ENCYCLOPEDIA ARTICLES

2002 Modern Encyclopedia of Asia
“Dance in Central Asia”

19 ...More

Dancing the Silk Road  
by Stephen Henkin
The World and I Magazine, July 2002

Extensive article, with photographs, on Laurel Victoria Gray and the Silk Road Dance Company.

Making Magic: Costumes of the Silk Road Dance Company  
by Laurel Victoria Gray

"Where do you get your costumes?"

Without a doubt, this is the most frequently asked question from our audience members. At times it seems as if they expect a simple answer, that the secret of our costuming can be revealed by naming some fabulous theatrical supply company where they, too, could purchase s ...More

Nizami's SEVEN BEAUTIES: Ancient Wisdom for the New Millennium 
by Laurel Victoria Gray
published in
Azerbaijan International Magazine
Spring 2005

Russian Orientalism and the Ballet Russe 
by Laurel Victoria Gray

An exploration of the impact Russian Orientalism on 20th century ballet.

Many of the twentieth century’s notions about Eastern dance came not from the Arab world, but from Russia. The most notable and successful exporter of pseudo-oriental dance was the Ballet Russe, the legendary company that enchan ...More

Samarkand's Sharq Taronalari Festival 2005 
Aygun Baylar Wins International Music Competition in Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan share many cultural ties - not only historical and linguistic. The dynamic nature of these connections became an unexpected dimension of my most recent trip to Uzbekistan this summer.

The focus of this, my eleventh, trip to Uzbeki ...More

Tanoura: The Egyptian Dervish Dance 
by Laurel Victoria Gray

Reasearch into the Egyptian version of the Sufi "whirling dervish" dance, an ancient spiritual practice.

Read more about the history of dervishes in Egypt at
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/mawlawi.htm

"For a dervish, there must be a purpose,
a cause for existence, and inside ...More

The Beard of the Camel 
The Beard of the Camel

A music review by Laurel Victoria Gray

(published in Habibi, Winter 1996 (vol. 15, no 1), page 41-42)

"The Beard of the Camel" marks the first Western release by Uzbekistan's Yalla Ensemble, the most popular group from the Central Asian republics. As a long time fan and friend of the group – and t ...More

The Silk Road Dance of Feminine Deity 

This interview with Laurel Victoria Gray touches on the deeper meaning of Middle Eastern dance.
By  B. Claire

Uzbek Dance in the New York Times 
CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK; Dance History Leaps to Life In the Archives

JENNIFER DUNNING
Published: January 18, 2002

New York Times Dance critic Jennifer Dunning mentioned Laurel Victoria Gray's groundbreaking video on Uzbek dance --
''Dances of the Silk Road: An Introduction to Uzbek Dance'' -- in this article about the Jerome R ...More

Uzbek Language Newspaper Article 1988 
''Tanovar'' from Seattle
This 1988 article spotlighted the Uzbek Dance and Culture Society delegation led by Laurel Victoria Gray.

Who has the right to write about dance? 
by Laurel Victoria Gray

An examination of the role of dance criticism in the Middle Eastern dance community.

Let us be honest. We are all critics. We all harbor likes and dislikes on a myriad of topics, including dance. Indeed, our ability to distinguish differences is a positive survival trait. Humans need to be discerning ...More

Wizards and Harlots 
by Laurel Victoria Gray

An investigation into the pagan origins and the status of dance and music in early Islamic society.

Wizards and Harlots:
The Tainted Status of Musicians and Dancers
Within the Islamic Context