Traditional Uzbek dance: arts and schools of
Uzbek dance
National Uzbek dance is very expressive. It presents all the beauty of nation. The main difference
of Uzbek dance from dances of other Eastern
nations is the accent on complicated and expressive
hand gestures and animated facial expressions.
Uzbek dance includes two categories: classic traditional dance and folklore dance.
Classic traditional Uzbek dance is the art, studied in
choreographic schools and demonstrated on a stage.
There are three famous schools of Uzbek dance:
Ferghana, Bukhara and Khorezm.
Sui generis centers and schools of folk arts and
crafts were formed in the territory of Uzbekistan for
centuries. Each region has its own direction. Chust,
Namangan region, is widely known for its skullcaps
and knives; Rishtan, Fergana region, turquoise ceramics; ancient Margilan, satin with iridescent play of
colors; sacred Bukhara, gold embroidery.
National Uzbek cuisine
The national Uzbek cuisine has formed into a
unique oriental cuisine. Only names of appetizing
Uzbek food make one’s mouth water. Palov, manti,
shurpa, shashlik, lagman, samsa have such wonderful smell that one can’t resist the temptation to taste
all these dishes piping hot.
Many Uzbek recipes have centuries-old history,
and the process of preparing food is accompanied
with various rituals, which have reached our days.
All specific peculiarities of Uzbek food have been
forming for centuries.
Folk Uzbek dance includes traditions of almost
any region and displays wonderful variety. People
dance them on weddings and family holidays,
rural and urban events.
Uzbek Handicrafts and Applied Art
The applied art of Uzbekistan is original and exclusive creative work of national craftsmen and masters,
passing their skills from generation to generation.
The works of Fergana, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva
and other masters have been historically notable
outside the country and still continue to stir interest
of lovers of the beautiful from all over the world.
Many schools of suzané embroidery and ceramics,
skullcaps of different type and purpose, national
pichak-knives for every occasion, silk and woolen
carpets, silk and chasing – the wonderful works,
produced by local masters for centuries, make a
unique exoticism of Uzbekistan.
Among dishes taken from other nations there
are roast, kebab, bogursak, straws, pelmeni (meat
dumpling), manti, lagman and etc. However in turn
such native Uzbek food as plov, dimlama, buglama,
shurpa, mastava and many others are served at
tables of many countries of the world.
The basic ingredients of Uzbek dishes are flour, meat
(usually mutton), fat of a sheep’s tail, vegetables,
herbs and spices, and, in almost all food, a considerable amount of oil of different sorts.
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