The Astana Ballet Theatre Won a Silver Award at the Cheonan World Dance Festival 2025 in South Korea, DKNews.kz reports.
From 24 to 28 September, Cheonan was the world capital of dance. A total of 4,000 participants and guests from 61 countries came together at the festival, showcasing the unique traditions and cultural heritage of their respective nations. Out of all these different programmes, it was Kazakhstan’s “The Heritage of the Great Steppe” that won the hearts of the jury and the audience, taking second place in the “International Dance Competition” category and winning the silver award at the festival.
The choreographic masterpiece created by Aigul Tati, an Honoured Figure of Kazakhstan, has become a true embodiment of the richness of Kazakh culture. Lyrical and philosophical compositions, energetic miniatures and expressive images, all complemented by exquisite costumes, came together on stage to create a real visual epic about the beauty of the Great Steppe.
“This is an event of great significance for us. We had the honour of representing Kazakhstan on the world stage, where we conveyed the beauty of our soul to thousands of viewers through dance. “The Heritage of the Great Steppe” captures the essence of Kazakh life, embracing its breadth, philosophy, peacefulness and harmony. We tried to convey this through our young female dancers, whose hand movements bring light and culture to their performances. This special, graceful style distinguishes Kazakh choreography from that of other national schools. Each dance is based on our traditions and rituals, and each composition is filled with colours inherent in the Kazakh girl. Music plays a key role, with its rhythmic, melodic and extraordinary qualities enhancing the entire choreography and contributing to its high aesthetic value. We are delighted to thank our designer, Honoured Figure of Kazakhstan Muslim Zhumagaliyev, who has been working with the theatre for more than 10 years and creating unique costumes for each production. We enjoyed participating in the festival and we are proud that we were able to present the culture of Kazakhstan on the world stage,” said choreographer Aigul Tati.
Participation in the Cheonan World Dance Festival 2025 was a significant step in strengthening cultural dialogue, as well as a historic achievement. Troupes from Kazakhstan have participated in this festival in the past, but this is the first year that our country has won the prize. We are particularly proud that it was the folk choreography of Kazakhstan that won silver among the strongest dance schools in the world. The competition included teams from countries with a rich history and tradition of folk dancing, including China, India, Mexico, South Korea, Slovakia, Poland and Malaysia, where folk choreography occupies a special place in the cultural heritage.
The Astana Ballet Theatre has proven that dance is a universal language and that Kazakh art is world-class. Kazakhstan is at the heart of the global stage.
