People's Artist Vilayat Akilova, Carolyn's Mentor

Vilayat Akilova
"Dance is happiness ... it is life."

          Vilayat Akilova hails from one of the great families of the Bukharan professional dance tradition--a tradition which defines one of the three major styles of Uzbek dance. The eldest of five children, she was born in Samarkand in 1936 to two young and ambitious performers. Her father, the late and highly-revered dance master, Isakhar Akilov, People's Artist of Uzbekistan, followed in the footsteps of his mother, a favorite dancer of the Emir of Bukhara. Vilayat's mother, Margarita, also a People's Artist, remains a riveting performer--in her occasional appearances--at the age of 80. In addition, Vilayat's sisters, Gauhar and Lola, are celebrated dancers, as was her late sister, Zuleikha. The Akilov school of Uzbek dance, which grows directly out of the pre-Soviet, professional Central Asian tradition, now claims its fourth generation as Lola and her husband, also a dancer, pass the legacy on to their two young daughters.
           As a small child, Vilayat toured the collective farms of Soviet Uzbekistan with her parents--becoming known as "Little Artist Akilova" among the workers for whom she danced. The Akilovs, traveling by way of a cart pulled by donkey or horse, would be welcomed by crowds of children eager to meet the young Vilayat. At age 7, already a veteran performer, Vilayat applied (by filling out and carrying in her own application) and was accepted at the newly-opened Uzbek State Choreographic Institute in Tashkent. She completed her high school education at the Institute while performing regularly with her father's Shodlik ensemble. Next, at the insistence of her father, Vilayat took her college degree in Russian Language and Literature--with honors. Only after this did Isakhar finally approve of Vilayat's decision to pursue a life devoted to dance. She went on to serve as Shodlik's principal dancer and was praised for her powerful technique, heartfelt expression and beautiful, supple hands--which were often the subject of the camera's lens.
           Upon Vilayat's retirement from Shodlik at age 40, as was mandatory under the Soviet system, she made her way to Moscow to work and study with the great Igor Moiseyev. During her two years in Moscow, she produced for his company an acclaimed suite of Uzbek folk dances, launching her career as a choreographer and earning her the title of People's Artist of Uzbekistan--the republic's highest artistic honor. She next worked as a choreographer in Afghanistan for one year and, after returning to Tashkent, became founding Artistic Director of Zerafshon--an ensemble specializing in Bukharan and Tajik dance--where she remained until 1994.
           Vilayat, now a proud grandmother, currently directs Tashkent Yulduzlara which tours internationally and with whom she recently took the Grand Prize in the Festival at Varna, Bulgaria. Among her protegées are several of the most beloved soloists in the country--many of them Merited Artists, and one of them a People's Artist. She is a master choreographer in all styles of Uzbek dance--Ferghana, Khorezm and Bukhara--and is one of the most sought-after dancemakers in Tashkent today.

Carolyn and Vilayat
           Having studied Uzbek dance with American dancer Ixchel Dimetral-Maerker from 1984, Carolyn's specialization in this beautiful art was inspired by her 1989 dance research trip to then-Soviet Central Asia. While in Uzbekistan, she took a private class in Uzbek repertoire at Samarkand's Theatre of Opera and Ballet and attended numerous dance and music performances in Samarkand, Bukhara and Tashkent. Upon returning home, she utilized videotapes to teach herself several of the dances she had seen.
            In 1994, Carolyn returned to a newly-independent Uzbekistan under a grant from ArtsLink, a program of CEC International Partners, traveling to the capital city of Tashkent with only hopes of meeting and working with her first choice of teachers, Vilayat Akilova. Within two days, Carolyn had made contact with her soon-to-be mentor and, after dancing for her, was invited to study and reside in her home. Together, Mme. Akilova and Carolyn, who communicated mostly in French, maintained a demanding daily schedule of non-stop dance activities and study. Carolyn arrived home with several Uzbek and Tajik solos choreographed for her by Vilayat, along with a full complement of costumes.
         In 1997, Carolyn again traveled to Tashkent under an ArtsLink grant. During this trip, she documented Mme. Akilova's career while the two worked together on new solos and costuming. In addition, Vilayat provided Carolyn the opportunity to become the first foreign professional dancer to dance in the official Navroz (New Year) Festival on March 21st--a grand traditional pageant involving hundreds of performers and craftspeople from around the country. Carolyn also performed with Tashkent Yulduzlara--including a concert at the Mayor's Mansion--gave radio and television interviews, and was showcased in a 30-minute program aired on Tashkent Television highlighting her relationship with Mme. Akilova and featuring five of the solos choreographed for her by Mme. Akilova--along with a requested Egyptian folkloric dance choreographed by Carolyn.
      In September of 2001, on the heels of Uzbekistan's tenth anniversary of independence from the Soviet Union, Carolyn hosted Mme. Akilova during her 17-day choreographic residency with Gulistan Dance Theater. During her first-ever visit to Los Angeles, Mme. Akilova choreographed two new solos for Carolyn--both in the Ferghana style--as well as two dances for the Gulistan ensemble. One of the new ensemble dances is in the Khorezm style and the other is the well-known Bukharan dance created by Isakhar Akilov called "Guldasta," which means "bouquet of flowers." This residency marks the first time Mme. Akilova has directed a non-native Uzbek dance company. The new dances were performed in full costume for a video session prior to Mme. Akilova's departure. The videotape will be shown on Tashkent Television in a documentary about Mme. Akilova's work with Carolyn and Gulistan.
© 1999,2001 by Carolyn Krueger. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use, downloading and/or copying by any means constitutes violation of copyright.