The Birlik Ensemble presented the choreographic concert-performance “Ömir-Kazyna” (“Life is a Treasure”) to the audience.
The concert program featured choreographic compositions such as “Zharyskazan”, “Shildekhana”, “Saukele. Bride. Bridal Dowry”, “Kyz Uzatu”, “Toy. Betashar”, “Mai Kuyiu. Salem Salu”, “Akku”, “Amanat”, “Zher-Ana” and many others.
The event also featured the Kazakh State Folklore Ensemble “Astana Sazy”, the ethno-folklore ensemble “Zhoshy”, and the State Theatre “Astana Musical”.
The direction of the performance certainly deserves special attention. The depth of the narrative, accompanied by a voice-over, was visually enhanced by screen projections explaining the importance and enduring nature of the traditions and rituals presented on stage. Conveying such profound values of Kazakh history through dance represents a unique artistic synthesis of perception and reflection.
By using every available artistic tool, the performers managed to reach the consciousness of every spectator. Feelings of pride, inspiration, and admiration swept through the audience like waves, impressing them with the scale of the idea and the unique performance style of the artists. Sound, dance, costumes, lighting, screens, and narration all merged into a single dramaturgical concept: life is a treasure.
It was somewhat surprising to realize that the stage action was designed for just one hour of concert duration. Perhaps time simply flew by, or perhaps the audience’s mind struggled to keep up with the unfolding storyline. Yet one truth became clear: our culture is our foundation, our greatest treasure, our pride, and our mission in preserving the continuity of generations.
“Life is a Treasure” is a profound and holistic stage statement about the role of women in traditional culture, the continuity of generations, and the value of human life, expressed through the language of dance and music.
The BIRLIK Ensemble was created to form an international artistic group that studies and professionally performs dances of the peoples of the world accompanied by live instrumental music, while also introducing young Kazakhstani audiences to the culture and art of different nations.
The ensemble’s artistic director is Anel Marabayeva. Her repertoire includes about 30 folk dances reflecting the richness of cultural heritage.
Recommended articles
Wedding Podcast 2027
The wedding podcast is quickly finding its place in contemporary celebration programmes. The format began gaining attention in Kazakhstan at the end of summer, while the quieter autumn season gave organisers time to refine the idea for the year ahead. The DanceHub.kz team has already tested it twice and is ready to explain how it works. The podcast corner works best near the entrance to the banquet hall, close to the photo zone and welcome buffet. Recording inside the hall is more difficult: equipment is being checked, lighting and sound are being adjusted, and the service team is completing its final preparations. It is simply too noisy for a relaxed conversation. A small table, three microphones and a neat backdrop are enough to create the studio. Guests arrive, take commemorative photographs, enjoy the buffet and are then invited to record a short story about the newlyweds.
Tips from the DanceHub.kz Organisers
In the first part of our organiser's advice, we explained why a wedding welcome buffet deserves careful attention. Its appearance and presentation shape the first impression of the evening. Now it is time to consider the final touch: the tradition known as Keter Ayaq or Zhol Ayaq. This small ritual takes place at the end of the celebration. Sometimes it uses the same table that held the welcome buffet earlier in the evening. In an alcohol-free celebration, the tradition can be reinterpreted while preserving its most important purpose: seeing guests off with warmth, care and hospitality. The bride has thrown her bouquet, the band has taken the stage, and the second dance interval reflects the newlyweds' own musical taste. The first interval may have featured familiar favourites for the parents' friends and older guests, while the later programme becomes younger and more energetic.
Meeting for a Good Reason: “NOT a Wedding 2027”
Imagine being invited to a wedding and asked to buy a ticket for 20,000-25,000 tenge. The price includes your seat, the menu, drinks, a host and live entertainment. There is just one surprising detail: you know neither the people at your table nor the names of the newlyweds. The bride and groom may not have met before the evening either. This is the idea behind “NOT a Wedding”, a themed party already appearing in selected cities across Europe and the CIS. From the outside, it looks like a real celebration, complete with a welcome buffet, decorations, dinner, toasts and dancing. Its purpose, however, is not marriage. It is designed for conversation, new connections and an unusual cultural experience. Modern city life offers too few natural and comfortable ways for adults to meet. Social media helps people stay connected, but it cannot always replace a face-to-face conversation. “NOT a Wedding” provides a familiar structure in which strangers can introduce themselves, exchange experiences and spend an evening together without the awkwardness of formal networking.
Organising New Year Corporate Events in Astana.
A successful New Year corporate event begins long before December. Large companies often start planning in August, when HR managers research the market, compare suppliers and define the first requirements for the evening. Beginning early gives the team the freedom to choose rather than settle for whatever remains available at the end of the season. It is possible to source a venue, host, performers, decorators and technical crew independently, but doing so requires considerable time and experience. Companies therefore often entrust the project to a professional event agency responsible not only for suppliers but also for the overall logic of the occasion. An event agency is more than an intermediary between a client and performers. It acts as project coordinator, script team, venue administrator and crisis manager on the day itself.
Japanese Delegation Concludes Visit to the Kazakh National Academy of Choreography
The Kazakh National Academy of Choreography has concluded an intensive programme for a delegation from Tokyo's Yoshiko Takagi Ballet School. Twenty-two students and four teachers travelled to Astana to explore Kazakhstan's approach to choreographic education, work with the Academy's leading teachers and exchange professional experience. The Japanese guests followed a focused educational programme. Young dancers took part in masterclasses in classical and folk-stage dance and worked on classical variations drawn from the world's ballet repertoire. Each class offered more than technical practice. It also allowed the students to view familiar elements through a different teaching tradition. For young artists, this kind of exchange broadens their professional outlook and encourages closer attention to every detail of stagecraft.