International Bursa Festival Colored With Uzbekistan's Traditional 'Lazgi' Dance

Organized for the 60th time this year by the Bursa Culture, Art and Tourism Foundation (BKSTV) on behalf of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, the International Bursa Festival was colored with the traditional "Lazgi" dance specific to the Khwarezm region of Uzbekistan, which is on the UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list.

Organized by Bursa Culture, Art and Tourism Foundation (BKSTV), with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, with the main sponsorship of Atış Group of Companies, the festival brought together famous artists from Bursa with their fans, another first this year. Traditional "Lazgi" dance, unique to the Khwarezm region of Uzbekistan, was presented to art lovers from Bursa for the first time at the International Bursa Festival. The Lazgi dance, which was included in the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list in 2019, was staged with a magnificent choreography by the ballet company of Alisher Navoi State Academic Bolshoi Theater at the Osmangazi Hall of the Atatürk Congress Culture Center. The show, which was staged by 50 dancers, blending traditional and modern costumes with a glittering stage decoration, was watched with interest.

After the concert, Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Mayor Süleyman Çelik and BKSTV Chairman of the Board Sadi Etkeser presented the festival special plaque to Dilnoza Artikova on behalf of Alisher Navoi State Academic Bolshoi Theater's ballet troupe. Deputy Mayor of the Metropolitan Municipality Süleyman Çelik expressed his happiness that Bursa, the Cultural Capital of the Turkish World in 2022, will host such a magnificent show and the team of Uzbekistan. Çelik recommended that those who missed tonight's show should definitely watch the second show to be held on 29 June.

Dilnoza Artikova, speaking on behalf of the ballet troupe of Alisher Navoi State Academic Bolshoi Theatre, said that they liked Bursa very much and that they wanted to come again. Dilnoza Artikova, who described Lazgi as 'a woman who shows all the local dances and songs and reveals love and spirit', noted that the name of the show is therefore the "Dance of the Spirit and Love". Expressing their happiness in performing this show in Turkey, which has magnificent folklore and music, Artikova added that they want to come back to Bursa as soon as possible, where they were amazed by its greenery, history and kebab.