THE ROLE OF UZBEK MEN’S DANCE IN FOLKLORIC DANCE ART

Abstract

This article explores the cultural, historical and artistic significance of Uzbek men’s dance within the domain of folkloric dance art. The study outlines how the male dance tradition has developed as an integral component of national folk culture, reflecting the worldview, social values and aesthetic ideals of the Uzbek people. Particular attention is given to the continuity of performance practices, which have been preserved through the long-standing ustoz–shogird (master–apprentice) pedagogical system that remains central to the transmission of dance knowledge today. The article also examines the characteristic movement vocabulary of men’s dance, noting that its expressive, energetic and dignified features have retained their authentic form despite historical changes and modern influences. In doing so, the study demonstrates the enduring role of men’s dance in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and sustaining the originality of national artistic identity within contemporary folkloric performance