Gulistan Dance Theater
Gulistan Dance Theater
THE POWER OF IMAGINATION
THE POWER OF IMAGINATION
GDT also enlarges upon tradition by creating original dance theater works inspired by the arts and cultures of the Silk Road and beyond. Gulistan’s acclaimed original productions include the following:
Enchanted Dune - A Short Film
Enchanted Dune - A Short Film
Gulistan stars in this short film by filmmaker and Gulistan dancer Aygul Maksutova. Based upon GDT’s original dance of the same name, Aygul's film reimagines Gulistan's theatrical work for the screen. The film premiered at the 20th Annual Los Angeles Polish Film Festival in 2019 and, in 2020, “Enchanted Dune” was selected by Amazon Prime Video US and Amazon Prime UK, RoW.
Langston Hughes in Uzbekistan
Langston Hughes in Uzbekistan
A name not usually associated with Uzbekistan, Langston Hughes is the author of several articles on Uzbek dance and theater which were published in American magazines in 1934. A major figure in the Harlem Renaissance, Hughes received an offer in 1932 to work in Moscow as a screenwriter for a Soviet film. After his arrival in Russia, the film project was abandoned and Hughes opted to tour Soviet Central Asia well into 1933. The narrative for this unique production, which premiered in 2017, is composed of excerpts from Langston's articles and travel writings.
Hodja’s Caravan
Hodja’s Caravan
This delightful production features stories and antics of Nasreddin Hodja, the wise fool of the Silk Road.
Crossings
Crossings
The boldest of Gulistan's original productions, “Crossings” received multiple nominations for the Lester Horton Award. Four years in the making, this 11-part suite navigates imaginary landscapes where mythical beings journey through the seasons and across dimensions in a spectacular collage of alchemy and ornament. Gulistan's celebrated work "Enchanted Dune” (pictured above) is the opening piece for “Crossings.”
Princess Firuza and the Horse Prince
Princess Firuza and the Horse Prince
Gulistan's adaptation of the Persian folk tale "Princess Firuza and the Horse Prince" was created for the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood. This production was the subject of Firoozeh Khatibi's Radiofarda Persian language broadcast for Voice of America in the U.S., Iran, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan.