On May 10th, the world premiere of the choreographic and digital performance “Rituals” was held at the Mukams Palace of the State Cultural Center of Turkmenistan, as we announced previously.
This artistic event is part of the European Cultural Spaces project, which aligns with the European Union’s strategic cultural cooperation objectives and is carried out in partnership with the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC), the European Commission, and the European External Action Service. The French Institute in Turkmenistan, part of the French Embassy in Ashgabat, organizes this initiative. Additionally, it involves the Turkmen Ministry of Culture, the EU Delegation in Turkmenistan, the Italian Embassy, and the Goethe Institute in Kazakhstan.
The Akjayar Folklore Ensemble from the Balkan region performed the traditional Küşdepdi dance ritual as the opening part of the event. Following this, Italian dancer and choreographer Margherita Bergamo, together with State Dance Ensemble of Turkmenistan and the “Mengli” State Dance Ensemble, performed the prepared choreographic dance show by French choreographer Jean-Marc Matos.
This new dance spectacle drew inspiration from traditional movements of various cultural dances worldwide, integrating them with modern dance and interactive digital devices. The performance pays tribute to the ancient Turkmen dance “Küşdepdi,” bringing the beauty of Turkmen culture to the stage. A unique artistic project combines ancient traditions of Turkmenistan with contemporary dance and digital arts.
This event was an important milestone in the development of cultural ties between Europe and Turkmenistan and is the first European cultural project in Turkmenistan selected among the most advanced initiatives of 2025.
After the show, we had a chance to hear the feelings of the European artist:
— This project arose in collaboration with my performance of the choreographic and digital piece ‘Myselves’ in Ashgabat in 2023. I was deeply impressed by the richness of Turkmen culture and, in particular, the kushtdepdi dance. Following that, I started to watch videos, read books, and listen to traditional music, especially about the kushtdepdi dance. This inspirational impulse marked the beginning of the ‘Rituals’ project, built at the intersection of tradition and modernity. I have been working on this piece since January. Finally, we put it together in two weeks, after many preparations. I am overwhelmed by the emotion because here the people connect so much with this cultural identity. For me, it is a modest way. I had to go inside the spirit of the dance to invent something with contemporary dance, images, and music, and I am happy. It was an extraordinary experience outside of my country, said French choreographer Jean-Marc Matos.
“ZamanTurkmenistan”
