Embodied Identity in Kazakh Male Dances: Movements and Anthropological Meanings

Abstract

This article investigates the features of contemporary Kazakh male dance through an embodied and choreological analysis of three authorial works: Zholbarys Zhürek, Asan & Üsen, and Tas Tülek. Drawing on somatic and anthropological approaches, it explores how movement encodes culturally situated masculinities, post-nomadic identity, and intergenerational memory. The analysis integrates fieldwork, visual documentation, and theoretical frameworks from gender studies, phenomenology, and dance ethnography. Methodologically, the study combines movement analysis with choreographic reconstruction and embodied inquiry to reveal how Kazakh male bodies negotiate tradition and innovation on stage. Findings suggest that these dances – while grounded in ethnic motifs and social roles – mobilize a plural, reflexive masculinity that challenges binary gender models and affirms dance as a legitimate medium of male expression and cultural continuity.