State Dancing State Dancing Company Company

of Dagestanof Dagestan

“Lezginka”“Lezginka”

For ages Dagestan has been famous for its folk For ages Dagestan has been famous for its folk crafts. Of remarkable beauty and truly invaluable are crafts. Of remarkable beauty and truly invaluable are the works of art produced by the Kubachi and the works of art produced by the Kubachi and Gotsatli goldsmiths, the Lezgins and Tabasarans Gotsatli goldsmiths, the Lezgins and Tabasarans carpet-weavers, the Untsukul wood-carvers, and the carpet-weavers, the Untsukul wood-carvers, and the Balkhar potters, all of which have earned worldwide Balkhar potters, all of which have earned worldwide fame. Paris, Brussels and other cities were smitten fame. Paris, Brussels and other cities were smitten by the beauty of this unique works of art. by the beauty of this unique works of art.

TThe people's culture, he people's culture, however, is not only however, is not only the product of its the product of its skilled goldsmiths, skilled goldsmiths, carpet-weavers or carpet-weavers or potters. It is potters. It is transmitted from one transmitted from one generation to generation to another in its poetry, another in its poetry, songs and dances. songs and dances. The mountain The mountain people's Lezginka people's Lezginka dance is truly dance is truly national and popular, national and popular, and no holiday can and no holiday can do its merry fiery do its merry fiery temperament. temperament.

They say that the Dagestan They say that the Dagestan people dance from the people dance from the cradle. This is certainly a bit cradle. This is certainly a bit of an exaggeration but there of an exaggeration but there is no denying that upon is no denying that upon learning to walk Dagestan learning to walk Dagestan child usually makes his first child usually makes his first dancing steps. And children dancing steps. And children dancers win the greatest dancers win the greatest admiration of the viewers - admiration of the viewers - abroad and at home, in their abroad and at home, in their native town or village. The native town or village. The impetuous whirling impetuous whirling Lezginka dance leaves no Lezginka dance leaves no one indifferent and its one indifferent and its elegant graceful movements elegant graceful movements are as exhilarating as they are as exhilarating as they are unique. are unique.

IIt is after this traditional popular t is after this traditional popular dance that the Lezginka dance that the Lezginka Ensemble has been named. Ensemble has been named. Lezginka, the Merited State Lezginka, the Merited State Dance Company of Dagestan, was Dance Company of Dagestan, was founded in 1958. founded in 1958. For more than 20 years organizer For more than 20 years organizer and leader was People's Artist of and leader was People's Artist of the USSR Tankho Israilov. This is the USSR Tankho Israilov. This is what Rasul Gamzatov, People's what Rasul Gamzatov, People's Poet of Daghestan, wrote about Poet of Daghestan, wrote about the emergence of the Lezginka the emergence of the Lezginka Ensemble: "With the birth of the Ensemble: "With the birth of the Lezginka Ensemble each of us Lezginka Ensemble each of us experienced a feeling that comes experienced a feeling that comes with the birth of a long expected with the birth of a long expected child. And a healthy, handsome child. And a healthy, handsome and talented child it was. Its first and talented child it was. Its first performance brought tears of joy performance brought tears of joy to our eyes. As one watches a to our eyes. As one watches a Lezginka concert one cannot help Lezginka concert one cannot help repeating the words of our repeating the words of our mountain folk: "Indeed, even the mountain folk: "Indeed, even the dead can be revived by this dead can be revived by this dances..." dances..."

TThe Lezginka Ensemble offers an extensive program of fiery, he Lezginka Ensemble offers an extensive program of fiery, temperamental dances of the numerous peoples inhabiting this temperamental dances of the numerous peoples inhabiting this Mountain Country. Mountain Country.

AAll its choreographic and musical works convey the might and ll its choreographic and musical works convey the might and noble endeavors of the Daghestan peoples that are treading the noble endeavors of the Daghestan peoples that are treading the highroad of national development in the multinational family of highroad of national development in the multinational family of Caucasian peoples. The visitor of the concert will see a Caucasian peoples. The visitor of the concert will see a picturesque carnival of sparkling national costumes and hear picturesque carnival of sparkling national costumes and hear the magic sounds of unique national instruments: the magic sounds of unique national instruments: zurna, agach-zurna, agach-kumuz, tara, kemanchakumuz, tara, kemancha. .

TThe mountain folk he mountain folk say that the people's say that the people's soul lies in its music, soul lies in its music, songs and dances. songs and dances. This can be This can be confirmed by anyone confirmed by anyone who has been to the who has been to the Lezginka concert. Its Lezginka concert. Its dances express dances express boundless love for boundless love for one's native land, its one's native land, its heroic past and heroic past and wonderful present, wonderful present, they reflect the they reflect the power of human power of human love, the people's love, the people's heroic struggle for heroic struggle for their happiness and their happiness and pride for their pride for their country. country.

TThe program comprises he program comprises of traditional dances of traditional dances and their modern and their modern arrangement. The arrangement. The concert is organized concert is organized with great artistic taste with great artistic taste and offers a broad and offers a broad variety of dances. The variety of dances. The stage interpretation of stage interpretation of traditional folklore traditional folklore motives, the artists' motives, the artists' high performing high performing mastery and emotional mastery and emotional pitch, along with the pitch, along with the novelty of the subjects novelty of the subjects of the dances, leave an of the dances, leave an indelible impressionindelible impression

The Lezginka Ensemble acquaints The Lezginka Ensemble acquaints audiences with the customs of the audiences with the customs of the Daghestan people, its courage and noble-Daghestan people, its courage and noble-mindedness, proud and staunch nature and mindedness, proud and staunch nature and unique national character.unique national character.

Each concert program presents a wealth of Each concert program presents a wealth of choreographic compositions imbued with an choreographic compositions imbued with an original national color: "Welcoming Lezginka", original national color: "Welcoming Lezginka", the dances the dances "Maskha", "Ailonai", "Antsukh","Maskha", "Ailonai", "Antsukh", "At "At the Spring", the comic miniatures "Holiday in the Spring", the comic miniatures "Holiday in Mountain Village", the maidens' lyrical dance Mountain Village", the maidens' lyrical dance "Gaftar""Gaftar", to name only a few. , to name only a few.

EEach concert is a festival ach concert is a festival of dance, elegance and of dance, elegance and beauty. The Lezginka beauty. The Lezginka Ensemble with its art Ensemble with its art director and director and choreographer Iosif choreographer Iosif Mataev, People's Artist Mataev, People's Artist and winner of G.Tsadasa and winner of G.Tsadasa State Prize of Daghestan, State Prize of Daghestan, have created a program have created a program that brings forth the that brings forth the people's culture, people's culture, traditions and high traditions and high performing mastership in performing mastership in all their brilliance. The all their brilliance. The repertoire always involves repertoire always involves the careful studying of the careful studying of unique national traditions unique national traditions and folklore. and folklore.

TThe Lezginka Ensemble has performed with he Lezginka Ensemble has performed with invariable success in all over the Soviet Union, invariable success in all over the Soviet Union, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Yugoslavia, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Libya, Syria, Bulgaria, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Libya, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, France, Great Britain, Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, France, Great Britain, Turkey, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Taiwan, Spain and USA.Belgium, Holland, Italy, Taiwan, Spain and USA.