Lazgi is a folk music and dance of Khorezm. It has different styles for men (heroic and courageous) and women (lyrical and humorous).^[1]

Legendary Uzbek dancers Tamarakhanim, Mukarrama Turgunbayeva and Gavhar Matyakubova have brought the Khorezm folk dances to perfection and captivated the world stage with their graceful movements.^[2]

Lazgi was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity under the name “Khorezm dance – lazgi” on December 13, 2019. The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev issued a decree on September 28, 2020, on organizing and holding the “Lazgi” International Dance Festival. According to the decree, the “Lazgi” International Dance Festival will be held every two years from 2022 in Khiva city on April 25–30. The documentary film “Lazgi” by Ixtiyor Baxtiyorov, which depicts the beauty and history of the dance, has been awarded as the “Best Documentary Film on Dance” at several international festivals, such as “Art Stream”, “Fifflondon”, “Blackboards”, “Lift-Off Season Awards”, and “IFFT”.^[2]

The international premiere of the ballet production “Lazgi – the dance of heart and love” was held at the Dubai Opera stage.^[3]

The music consists of a small introduction and 3 parts. It is performed in a 6/8 meter with a lively rhythm. The dance starts with slow and simple movements - first the fingers, wrists, elbows and then the whole body comes to life. Then suddenly the hands, feet and body are involved in complex movements. The dance movements alternate with the repetition of one part of the music. The character of the music changes and the speed increases, and the dance becomes more intense and ends abruptly.^[4]

The ancient history of Lazgi is related to the discovery of fire and goes back to the Zoroastrian religion. The existence of some information about this in the “Avesta”, the sacred book of Zoroastrianism, has been confirmed by scholars. There are various legends and stories in the oral tradition of Khorezm about the origin of Lazgi. For example, it is said that it expresses the process of the soul entering the body, or that it was created by various movements to warm up in the cold climate and light a fire. There is such a legend about the ancient Lazgi. The human body was made of clay and separate from each other. They were ordered to “enter the body” and the soul entered and then came out scared. They ordered again “enter the body”. It said “I’m afraid”. Then a music came from the divine. The soul was enchanted by this music and entered the body without knowing how. First the fingers, toes, wrists, elbows came to life, and the human was formed. This music from the divine was “Lazgi”.^[5]

There are 8 types of Lazgi dance in Khorezm nowadays, they are:

• “Qayroq lazgi”
• “Dutor lazgi”
• “Surnay lazgi”
• “Masxaraboz lazgi”
• “Saroy lazgi”
• “Changak lazgi”
• “Khiva lazgi”
• “Garmon lazgi”

In addition, since the mid-20th century, various performers have created yalla lazgis with lyrics, such as “Kimni sevar yorisan” (K. Otaniyozov), “Loyiq” (A. Otajonov and M. Rahimov), “Sani oʻzing bir yona” (O. Hayitova, B. Jumaniyozov), “Gal-gal” (B. Hamdamov), “Parang roʻmol” (O. Khudoyshukurov), “Xorazmning lazgisi” (O. Otajonov), “Oʻyna-oʻyna” (K. Rahmonov), “Ajoyib” (T. Shomurodov) and others. The music and rhythm of Lazgi have been used effectively in Sh. Ramazonov's “Khorezm Suite”, M. Yusupov's “Khorezm Song” opera and “Gulsanam” ballet, B. Giyenko's “Suite on Khorezm Themes”, S. Yudakov's “Khorezm Festival March”, M. Bafoyev's “Khorezm Capriccio”.^[4][2]

Komiljon Otaniyozov, together with his friends and relatives Abdusharif Otajonov and Matniyoz Yusupov, have done great work in presenting Lazgi in a modern way and passing it on to the next generations. In 1958, based on the Khorezm surnay lazgi, composer Abdusharif Otajanov added his own style and variations and created an ashula version with the ghazal “Loyiq” by the poet Khushnud Abdulla. Inspired by this, Komiljon Otaniyozov gave a new look to the instrumental part of Lazgi and created his own unique style that was different from the Lazgi mentioned above. He made an introduction to the beginning of the song in the style of chorlov with the words “Omon-ey, omon!” and used the words of Komil Khorezmi for the main lyrical part, creating a non-repetitive yalla version. At the initiative of Komiljon Otaniyozov, the notes of Lazgi and Surnay Lazgi were included in the VII volume of “Uzbek Folk Music” published in 1960 by his colleague and friend Matniyoz Yusupov (in collaboration with I. Akbarov). To promote Lazgi to the wide public, Komiljon Otaniyozov suggested to include the “Lazgi” dance in the film “Maftuningman”.^[5][6]