Qunduz Mirkarimova

An Uzbek dancer and ballet master whose dances are distinguished by their grace and charm, pleasantness, and unique, inimitable characteristics, and who showcased rare masterpieces of Uzbek dance art in foreign countries, Kunduz Mirkarimova is the recipient of the titles "People's Artist of Uzbekistan" and "People's Artist," as well as the Mukarrama Turgunbayeva Prize and the "Do’stlik" (Friendship) order.

Uzbek dancer and ballet master Kunduz Mirkarimova was born in 1928 in Tashkent. In 1951, she graduated from the choreographic school attached to the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. From 1943 to 1946 at the Yangiyul Musical Drama and Comedy Theater, from 1946 to 1948 at the Muqimiy Musical Drama and Comedy Theater, and from 1951 to 1973 as a dancer at the M. Qoriyoqubov Uzbek State Philharmonic, she performed with great skill classical, folk, and modern dances, as well as dances of brotherly peoples, such as "G’ayratli qiz," "Katta o’yin," "Xorazmcha raqs," "Uyg’urcha raqs," "Rohat," "Jonon," "Nay navosi," "Bahor tongi," "Tanovar," "Zang o’yin," "Pomir raqsi," "Dildor," "Gulruh," "Raqqosasidan," "Cho’li iroq," "Guldasta," "Tog’ raqsi," "Usmoni raqsi," and "Gulnoz."

She is also famous for her dances performed to maqom music; the dances in her performance are distinguished by their grace and charm, pleasantness, and unique, inimitable characteristics.
From 1979 to 1983, she was the artistic director of the M. Turgunbayeva "Bahor" Uzbek Folk Dance Ensemble. The dancer's talent and potential were manifested even more brightly during this period.

Learning the complex and delicate secrets of dancing and choreographing from her mentors Mukarrama Turgunbayeva, Roziya Karimova, Gavhar Rahimova, and Natalya Gubskaya, she applied all her talent and creative power to continue the traditions of her mentors and choreographed many classical, folk, and modern dances.

"Toshkent zangi," "Qo’qoncha doira raqsi," "Yor istab," "Tanovar-1, 2, 3," "Yangi tanovar," "Toshkent tanovari," "Farg’ona tanovari," "Namangan tanovari," "Qo’qon tanovari," "Adolat tanovari," "Eysarviravon" (maqom), "O’rik gullaganda," "O’zbekiston qizlari," "Navro’z raqsi," "O’zbek miniatyuralari," "Xamsa raqsi" (Zebunniso, Uvaysiy, Nodira, Dilshod, Zulfiya), "Xotira," "Ona qalbi" (composition), "Barigal" (composition), "Salom ayting," "Katta buxorcha," "Bisyor," "Olmacha anor," "So’zana," "Palak," "Paxta," and dances dedicated to M. Turgunbayeva are among them.

She also successfully choreographed "Safti munojot," "Nasir segoh," "Siraxiroj," "Dilxiroj," "Ko’za raqsi," and solo dances in Arabic, Tunisian, Japanese, Turkish, and Korean styles.
K. Mirkarimova toured foreign countries such as China, Iraq, Sweden, Norway, Finland, France, Italy, Angola, Malta, Guinea, Mozambique, Tunisia, North Korea, Germany, Austria, Poland, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Romania, Laos, Mexico, Spain, Argentina, Canada, Cuba, Greece, England, Scotland, Brazil, and Vietnam, showcasing rare masterpieces of Uzbek dance art.

Since 1964, she taught at the Tashkent Choreographic School, producing many talented students.

People's Artists of Uzbekistan O’giloy Muhamedova, Sveta Tursunova, Gavhar Aminova, Dilafroz Jabborova, Qizlarxon Dostmuhamedova, Malika Ahmedova, Honored Artists of Uzbekistan Gulchehra Jo’rayeva, Zulayho Asomova, Honored Art Worker of Uzbekistan Yulduz Ismatova, organizer of the "Zebo" ensemble in Tajikistan Zebo Aminzoda, and others consider K. Mirkarimova their mentor.

Kunduz Mirkarimova is the recipient of the titles "People's Artist of Uzbekistan" (1966) and "People's Artist" (1984), as well as the Mukarrama Turgunbayeva Prize (1994).

She was awarded the "Do’stlik" (Friendship) order in 1997.