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Publications by Laurel Victoria Gray
1986 PUBLICATIONS
Books / Monographs
Women’s Dance Traditions of Uzbekistan: Legacy of the Silk Road. London: Bloomsbury, 2024.
Book Chapters
2025 “Pioneers of Uzbek Stage Dance,” Zhenshchiny v Tsentralnoi Azii. University of Central Asia.
2022 “Silk Road: Commerce, Conquest, College,” Milestones in Dance History. Routledge.
2014 “An Enduring Art: Women’s Dances of Iran,” Gilded Serpent Anthology.
2012 “Hooray for Bollywood,” The Bourgeon Book Project.
Conference Presentations (selected)
2026 – “Hidden Histories: Dance Idols of 19th Century Turkestan,”
Dance Art in Global and Cultural Development, Khiva, Uzbekistan.
— Women’s Dance Traditions of Uzbekistan, Symposium of the International Council for Traditional Music and Dance of the Turkic World, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
— “Bringing Persian Epics to the Concert Stage,” Digitising the Past, Nourishing the Present:
Cultural Heritage Documentation and Performance in Central Asia, University of Central Asia Conference,
Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
2025 — “Chasing the Sogdian Whirl,” Dance Studies Association Annual Conference, Washington, DC.
2024 — “Women’s Dance Traditions of Uzbekistan,” Lazgi Scientific Conference, Khiva, Uzbeksitan.
2023 — “Sozanda: Women’s Professional Dance Traditions,” MENACA Symposium.
2021 — “Dancing into the Future with Ancient Steps,” International Forum, Khiva,Uzbekistan.
2020 — “A Good Dancer Can Perform in a Single Space,” Fulbright Annual Conference.
2020 — “Bekhzad as Choreographic Inspiration,” Institute of Arts Studies, Tashkent.
2012 — “Turkic and Persianate Dances,” Known World Dance and Music Symposium, Ohio State University.
2008 — “Lifting the Veil,” National Dance Educators Conference, Towson University.
1997 — “Envisioning the East,” International Conference on Middle Eastern Dance, Orange Coast College.
Encyclopedia Entries
2011 — “Dance and Islam,” Facts on File: Religion and Culture
2007 — “Women, Gender, Folkdancers, Folksingers: Caucasus,” Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures
2002 — “Dance in Central Asia,” Modern Encyclopedia of Asia
2001 — “Uzbekistan,” World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Asia/Pacific
1998 — “Georgia,” with Elena Gvaramadze, Oxford University Press International Encyclopedia of Dance
1998 — “Uzbekistan,” with Liubov Avdeeva, Oxford University Press International Encyclopedia of Dance
Book Reviews
2025 Stepping Forward, Falling Back: Dance in the Persianate World. Asian Dance Journal 76: 245–254.
2025 Staging Tianxia: Dunhuang Expressive Culture and China’s New Cosmopolitan Heritage, by Lanlan Kuang. Journal of Folklore Research Reviews, 2025, 5 pp.
2025 Crossing Cultures: The Transnational Career of Ram Gopal. Dance Chronicle, May 4, 2025. DOI: 10.1080/01472526.2024.2424034.
2026 Dance Practices as Research: Approaches to the Safeguarding and Transmission of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Dance, by Vicky Kämpfe. Asian Dance Journal, publication pending, 2026.
“Restoring the Sacred Georgian Roots of the Nutcracker’s ‘Arabian’ Dance.” publication pending, 2026.
Invited Articles & Essays
2021 — “The Enchanting World of Bekhzad,” Redux Extra.
2021 — “Nowruz — An Invitation to Dance,” Redux Extra.
2017 — “Sven Hedin,” Tirgan Festival Magazine.
2015 — “Dance Interrupted,” Tirgan Festival Magazine.
2005 — “Eastern Music: Samarkand Festival,” Azerbaijan International.
2005 — “Nizami’s Haft Paykar,” Azerbaijan International.
1994 — “Uzbeks Adapt to Independence,” Dance Magazine.
1988 — “New Stop on the Ancient Silk Road,” Soviet Uzbekistan.
Scholarly and Dance Publications (selected)
“Envisioning the East: Russian Orientalism and the Ballets Russes,” Habibi, 2002
"Tanoura is Sleeping,” Habibi, 2000
“The Splendor of Uzbek Dance,” Parts I–III, Habibi, 1995–1997
“The Goddess Dances: Women’s Dance of Georgia,” Habibi, 1995
“Dancing Boys,” Arabesque, 1986
“Tamara Khanum,” Arabesque, 1985
“Uzbek Women Dance Through Time,” Middle Eastern Dancer, 1985
“Music and Dance within the Islamic Context,” Arabesque, 1984
“Mystique of the Veil,” Arabesque, 1983
“Thamar: A Study in Russian Orientalism,” Arabesque, 1983
Invited Articles & Essays
2021 — “The Enchanting World of Bekhzad,” Redux Extra.
2021 — “Nowruz — An Invitation to Dance,” Redux Extra.
2017 — “Sven Hedin,” Tirgan Festival Magazine.
2015 — “Dance Interrupted,” Tirgan Festival Magazine.
2005 — “Eastern Music: Samarkand Festival,” Azerbaijan International.
2005 — “Nizami’s Haft Paykar,” Azerbaijan International.
1994 — “Uzbeks Adapt to Independence,” Dance Magazine.
1988 — “New Stop on the Ancient Silk Road,” Soviet Uzbekistan.
Editorial Work
2008 --Uzbekistan: Crossroads of Culture, Embassy of Uzbekistan, English Style Editor
1993 — Uzbekistan Airways Hava Yollari, Inflight Magazine, English Style Editor
1992 — President Islam Karimov, The Road of Independence & Progress, English Style Editor
Books / Monographs
Women’s Dance Traditions of Uzbekistan: Legacy of the Silk Road. London: Bloomsbury, 2024.
Book Chapters
2025 “Pioneers of Uzbek Stage Dance,” Zhenshchiny v Tsentralnoi Azii. University of Central Asia.
2022 “Silk Road: Commerce, Conquest, College,” Milestones in Dance History. Routledge.
2014 “An Enduring Art: Women’s Dances of Iran,” Gilded Serpent Anthology.
2012 “Hooray for Bollywood,” The Bourgeon Book Project.
Conference Presentations (selected)
2026 – “Hidden Histories: Dance Idols of 19th Century Turkestan,”
Dance Art in Global and Cultural Development, Khiva, Uzbekistan.
— Women’s Dance Traditions of Uzbekistan, Symposium of the International Council for Traditional Music and Dance of the Turkic World, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
— “Bringing Persian Epics to the Concert Stage,” Digitising the Past, Nourishing the Present:
Cultural Heritage Documentation and Performance in Central Asia, University of Central Asia Conference,
Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
2025 — “Chasing the Sogdian Whirl,” Dance Studies Association Annual Conference, Washington, DC.
2024 — “Women’s Dance Traditions of Uzbekistan,” Lazgi Scientific Conference, Khiva, Uzbeksitan.
2023 — “Sozanda: Women’s Professional Dance Traditions,” MENACA Symposium.
2021 — “Dancing into the Future with Ancient Steps,” International Forum, Khiva,Uzbekistan.
2020 — “A Good Dancer Can Perform in a Single Space,” Fulbright Annual Conference.
2020 — “Bekhzad as Choreographic Inspiration,” Institute of Arts Studies, Tashkent.
2012 — “Turkic and Persianate Dances,” Known World Dance and Music Symposium, Ohio State University.
2008 — “Lifting the Veil,” National Dance Educators Conference, Towson University.
1997 — “Envisioning the East,” International Conference on Middle Eastern Dance, Orange Coast College.
Encyclopedia Entries
2011 — “Dance and Islam,” Facts on File: Religion and Culture
2007 — “Women, Gender, Folkdancers, Folksingers: Caucasus,” Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures
2002 — “Dance in Central Asia,” Modern Encyclopedia of Asia
2001 — “Uzbekistan,” World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Asia/Pacific
1998 — “Georgia,” with Elena Gvaramadze, Oxford University Press International Encyclopedia of Dance
1998 — “Uzbekistan,” with Liubov Avdeeva, Oxford University Press International Encyclopedia of Dance
Book Reviews
2025 Stepping Forward, Falling Back: Dance in the Persianate World. Asian Dance Journal 76: 245–254.
2025 Staging Tianxia: Dunhuang Expressive Culture and China’s New Cosmopolitan Heritage, by Lanlan Kuang. Journal of Folklore Research Reviews, 2025, 5 pp.
2025 Crossing Cultures: The Transnational Career of Ram Gopal. Dance Chronicle, May 4, 2025. DOI: 10.1080/01472526.2024.2424034.
2026 Dance Practices as Research: Approaches to the Safeguarding and Transmission of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Dance, by Vicky Kämpfe. Asian Dance Journal, publication pending, 2026.
“Restoring the Sacred Georgian Roots of the Nutcracker’s ‘Arabian’ Dance.” publication pending, 2026.
Invited Articles & Essays
2021 — “The Enchanting World of Bekhzad,” Redux Extra.
2021 — “Nowruz — An Invitation to Dance,” Redux Extra.
2017 — “Sven Hedin,” Tirgan Festival Magazine.
2015 — “Dance Interrupted,” Tirgan Festival Magazine.
2005 — “Eastern Music: Samarkand Festival,” Azerbaijan International.
2005 — “Nizami’s Haft Paykar,” Azerbaijan International.
1994 — “Uzbeks Adapt to Independence,” Dance Magazine.
1988 — “New Stop on the Ancient Silk Road,” Soviet Uzbekistan.
Scholarly and Dance Publications (selected)
“Envisioning the East: Russian Orientalism and the Ballets Russes,” Habibi, 2002
"Tanoura is Sleeping,” Habibi, 2000
“The Splendor of Uzbek Dance,” Parts I–III, Habibi, 1995–1997
“The Goddess Dances: Women’s Dance of Georgia,” Habibi, 1995
“Dancing Boys,” Arabesque, 1986
“Tamara Khanum,” Arabesque, 1985
“Uzbek Women Dance Through Time,” Middle Eastern Dancer, 1985
“Music and Dance within the Islamic Context,” Arabesque, 1984
“Mystique of the Veil,” Arabesque, 1983
“Thamar: A Study in Russian Orientalism,” Arabesque, 1983
Invited Articles & Essays
2021 — “The Enchanting World of Bekhzad,” Redux Extra.
2021 — “Nowruz — An Invitation to Dance,” Redux Extra.
2017 — “Sven Hedin,” Tirgan Festival Magazine.
2015 — “Dance Interrupted,” Tirgan Festival Magazine.
2005 — “Eastern Music: Samarkand Festival,” Azerbaijan International.
2005 — “Nizami’s Haft Paykar,” Azerbaijan International.
1994 — “Uzbeks Adapt to Independence,” Dance Magazine.
1988 — “New Stop on the Ancient Silk Road,” Soviet Uzbekistan.
Editorial Work
2008 --Uzbekistan: Crossroads of Culture, Embassy of Uzbekistan, English Style Editor
1993 — Uzbekistan Airways Hava Yollari, Inflight Magazine, English Style Editor
1992 — President Islam Karimov, The Road of Independence & Progress, English Style Editor
Dance Interrupted: Longing for Iranian Roots, Tirgan Festival Magazine, Toronto 2015
An Enduring Art: Women’s Dances of Iran. Gilded Serpent Anthology.2014
“Hooray for Bollywood,” The Bourgeon Book Project: An Anthology of Contemporary Art in the Words of the Artists Themselves.2012
Facts On File: Religion and Culture. 2011. “Dance and Islam”
English Style Editor., Uzbekistan, Crossroads of Culture. 2008
Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Culture. 2007.
“Women, Gender, Folkdancers and Folksingers: Caucasus.”
“Eastern Music: Samarkand Festival.” Azerbaijan International. Fall 2005.
“Nizami’s Haft Paykar: Ancient Wisdom for the Modern Age.” Azerbaijan International.Spring 2005.
Modern Encyclopedia of Asia. 2002. “Dance in Central Asia”
Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theater. 1998. “Uzbekistan”
“Wizards and Harlots: The Tainted Status of Musicians and Dancers within the Islamic Context.” Habibi, vol. 19, no. 2 , pp. 40 - 45.
"Envisioning the East: Russian Orientalism and the Ballet Russe." Habibi, vol.19, no.1, pp. 44 - 47.
“Tanoura is Sleeping: Exploring an Ancient Whirling Ritual in Cairo.” Habibi, vol. 18, no. 2, September 2000.
“Uzbeks Adapt to Independence.” Dance Magazine, August 1994.
