RITUALS – World Premiere in Ashgabat. A Choreographic and Digital Show

Ashgabat, 10 May 2025 – The cultural stage of Ashgabat became the venue for the world premiere of the choreographic and digital show RITUALS—a unique artistic project blending the ancient traditions of Turkmenistan with contemporary dance and digital arts. The event marked an important milestone in the development of cultural ties between Europe and Turkmenistan. The performance was the result of collaboration between French choreographer Jean-Marc Matos, Italian dancer and choreographer Margherita Bergamo, the State Dance Ensemble of Turkmenistan, and the State Dance Ensemble “Mengli.” RITUALS presented an artistic dialogue between European and Turkmen cultures. The first part of the performance featured the traditional dance Kushtdepdi, inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It was performed by the folkloric ensemble Akjayar from Balkan velayat, where this ritual dance originates. An Ambitious European Project This project emerged through collaboration after the 2023 performance of Jean-Marc Matos' choreographic and digital piece Myselves in Ashgabat, held as part of the celebration of the 30 th anniversary of EU–Turkmenistan diplomatic relations. The participating artists were deeply impressed by the richness of Turkmen culture and particularly inspired by the Kushtdepdi dance. That spark of inspiration laid the foundation for RITUALS—a project at the intersection of tradition and modernity. The project was organised in...