In September 2019, I was invited to the famous Raqs Sehri (Magic of Dance) Festival that took place in Khiva’s Itchan Kala. Itchan Kala is an inner old town of Khiva surrounded by the ancient thick walls (some of the walls reach 10 metres in height). It is a UNESCO-protected site, which in the past used to be the place for restoration for the caravans preparing to cross the desert to Iran. The place has a number of architectural monuments of outstanding beauty and historical significance.
The Festival took place in the Open Summer Theatre in Itchan Kala, which added a magic touch to the whole event. It was an unforgettable event which gave me a unique chance to experience the excitement of the Festival, meet incredible people – Festival’s organisers, dancers from many countries, choreographers, researchers, journalists and, mainly, enjoy the warm hospitality of the Khorezmians, the lovely Uzbek food and abundance of bright colours in the sunshine. I must say, the Khorezminas are very special people with their own language and culture. They are also multitalented people and dancing is in their blood! If you want to see some of the dances, check out my you tube channel.
It is never too late to start a new venture 