Ballet Scenes in the Opera "Ai-Churek"
The dance "Kiyiz" was first performed in the Kyrgyz musical drama "Altyn-Kyz" in 1937. Its significance lies in the fact that it paved the way for the people into professional ballet. As soon as "Kiyiz" was shown on stage, it became a part of the people's heritage. It was performed throughout the republic at concerts and artistic performances, and soon it became part of the everyday life of the ails. Thus, the first Kyrgyz dance performed on a professional stage came from the people and returned to the people — it now lives on as a folk dance. This is the best recognition of the joyful art of dance. Is there any more convincing proof of the spiritual poverty of nationalists who claimed that the nature of dance is alien to the Kyrgyz people? The very existence of a ballet theater, its creative growth, and the increasing penetration of dance into the life of the people speak to the absurdity of such a claim. Now, no celebration or artistic performance is complete without dance.
Tugelov Nurdin Sooronbaevich
It is characteristic that new dances are also related to depicting the peculiarities of the people's life and labor.
For instance, in 1939, the female workers of the "Ilyich" collective farm in the village of Chelypek, Issyk-Kul region, performed the everyday "Dance on the Pasture" at an artistic performance, which was based on the characteristics of women's labor on the jailoo.
Also, in the Issyk-Kul region, a dance called "Gathering Poppy" was recorded a bit later. It interprets the work on the poppy plantations. Separate parts of the dance sequentially depict the processes of sowing, fertilizing, hilling, trimming, and harvesting the raw material.
Many folk dances have become widely popular and are performed everywhere. These include "Komuzchu," "Beshyrgay," "Dance of the Dzhigits," and others.
Naturally, the folk dance also predetermined the emergence of a special costume.
Returning to the question of the ballet theater, it is necessary to note that in the first Kyrgyz opera "Ai-Churek," dances occupied a significantly more important place than in previous theater performances. Indeed, the ballet scenes of the opera were primarily built on a pantomimic basis, as the dance technique was still quite simplified. For example, there was a dance in the second act depicting Ai-Churek's farewell to her friends. The slow wave-like movements of the arms, reproducing the graceful flight of a swan, determined the forthcoming action: the transformation of Ai-Churek into a swan, after which she flew away in search of her fiancé Semetey. At the last moment, Ai-Churek herself, wearing a light white shawl, seemed to flap her wings, and in the next moment, the audience saw a large white bird soaring proudly upwards.
Mademilova Kulbubu (Erkin) Chortonovna
The same pantomimic character was present in the scene of the third act in Semetey's camp. The girls and dzhigits are having fun. They pair up. Then, for a while, the girls are left alone, and with smooth movements, they depict the flight of a bird. This precedes the appearance of Ai-Churek, before whom they freeze in a light bow.
The continuation of this action was the dance of the dzhigits with spears and shields, and its logical conclusion is the same paired dance with which the dance action of the third act began.
Next, competitions take place between Semetey's warriors Kulchoro and Kanchoro in archery and wrestling. After his defeat, Kanchoro stands, consumed by anger, while the dzhigits and even the girls pass by, rewarding him with condescending mockery.
This is a typical and accurately captured picture of folk life: as is known, during folk competitions, the brave and courageous found universal recognition, while the defeated were subjected to ridicule.
The scene of folk life is depicted in the fifth act. Sent by the evil khan Toltoy, witches and dervishes try to predict terrible misfortunes for Ai-Churek if she does not marry Toltoy. They scream, jump, and even crawl on the ground, shaking in wild ecstasy, as the bakshis did during their incantations.
As for the dance of Semetey's warriors, the movements here resemble the combat of opponents with spears. The concluding dance of the girls and young women in the scene of the toya on the occasion of Ai-Churek and Semetey's engagement also took place in a typically folk manner. Here, too, the dance was not abstract; it had a specific narrative character, depicting either the weaving of carpets by the girls or the daring gallop of the dzhigits.
The Role of N. S. Holfin in the Development of Kyrgyz Ballet