Lazgi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Etymology | From the ancient word meaning ‘tremble’ |
|---|---|
| Genre | Folk dance |
| Time signature | Energetic movements of the body, wrists, fingers, neck and shoulders |
| Instrument(s) | Dutar, surnay, doira, chang, garmon |
| Inventor | Unknown |
| Year | Unknown, but has centuries-old roots |
| Origin | Khorezm region of Uzbekistan |
| Khorazm dance, Lazgi | |
|---|---|
| Country | Uzbekistan |
| Reference | 01364 |
| Region | Asia and the Pacific |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2019 (14th session) |
| List | Representative |
Lazgi is a folk music and dance of Khorezm. It has different styles for men (heroic and courageous) and women (lyrical and humorous).[1]
Legendary Uzbek dancers Tamarakhanim, Mukarrama Turgunbayeva and Gavhar Matyakubova have brought the Khorezm folk dances to perfection and captivated the world stage with their graceful movements.[2]
Lazgi was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity under the name “Khorezm dance – lazgi” on December 13, 2019. The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev issued a decree on September 28, 2020, on organizing and holding the “Lazgi” International Dance Festival. According to the decree, the “Lazgi” International Dance Festival will be held every two years from 2022 in Khiva city on April 25–30. The documentary film “Lazgi” by Ixtiyor Baxtiyorov, which depicts the beauty and history of the dance, has been awarded as the “Best Documentary Film on Dance” at several international festivals, such as “Art Stream”, “Fifflondon”, “Blackboards”, “Lift-Off Season Awards”, and “IFFT”.[2]
The international premiere of the ballet production “Lazgi – the dance of heart and love” was held at the Dubai Opera stage.[3]
Performance style
The music consists of a small introduction and 3 parts. It is performed in a 6/8 meter with a lively rhythm. The dance starts with slow and simple movements - first the fingers, wrists, elbows and then the whole body comes to life. Then suddenly the hands, feet and body are involved in complex movements. The dance movements alternate with the repetition of one part of the music. The character of the music changes and the speed increases, and the dance becomes more intense and ends abruptly.[4]
Origin
There are various legends and stories in the oral tradition of Khorezm about the origin of Lazgi. For example, it is said that it expresses the process of the soul entering the body, or that it was created by various movements to warm up in the cold climate and light a fire. There is such a legend about the ancient Lazgi. The human body was made of clay and separate from each other. They were ordered to “enter the body” and the soul entered and then came out scared. They ordered again “enter the body”. It said “I’m afraid”. Then a music came from the divine. The soul was enchanted by this music and entered the body without knowing how. First the fingers, toes, wrists, elbows came to life, and the human was formed. This music from the divine was “Lazgi”.[5]