Azernews.Az

Qabil Ashirov

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The fifth Azerbaijan Dance Festival was held in Baku, bringing together more than 1,000 participants from over 20 countries during a four-day international event.

Among the dancers who took to the international stage, 10-year-old Zahra Jalilova attracted particular attention. She is the granddaughter of Tarana Muradova, Azerbaijan's People's Artist and a renowned dancer, teacher and choreographer, Trend reports.

Despite her young age, Zahra has already developed a strong interest in various forms of art. She is talented in drawing, studies music, and this year fulfilled one of her biggest childhood dreams by gaining admission to the Baku Choreography Academy. Ballroom dancing has now become another passion in her artistic journey.

Speaking to Trend, Tarana Muradova said the four-day festival provided Zahra with more than just an opportunity to participate in an international event. It also gave her a chance to gain her first stage experience in a new dance discipline. Her performance could mark the beginning of her own journey in the world of dance. Notably, Zahra had been studying ballroom dancing for just one month before taking part in the festival, yet she had already demonstrated promising progress.

"She has a strong passion for art, but I have given her the freedom to choose her own creative path. I have always believed that children should decide for themselves which artistic direction to pursue and what profession they want to follow in the future. Zahra was actually the one who persuaded us to enroll her in the academy. Her greatest New Year's wish was to gain admission to the Baku Choreography Academy. She is very determined and likes to achieve things independently," the People's Artist said.

Zahra's story is particularly noteworthy given the important role art plays in her family. Her grandmother has devoted her life to dance, the stage and training new generations of performers. However, as Tarana Muradova emphasizes, what matters most is not simply carrying on a family tradition, but a child's genuine passion for creativity, willingness to develop, explore new horizons and achieve personal goals through independent effort.

The festival was organized by Smooth & Rhythm Dance Style (SRDS), led by its founder and president, Olga Krasnyanskaya, together with the Azerbaijan Dance Council (AzDC), headed by Azerbaijan's People's Artist Tarana Muradova. The project's co-founders were six-time world dance champions Eldar Jafarov and Anna Sazhina.

Held under the motto "The Wind of Change, the Light of Ideas, the Fire of Desires... A Meeting Place for Every Dancer!", the festival featured prestigious international competitions, educational programs, master classes, professional networking events and a large-scale gala show titled "Night of the Dancing Diamonds."