Amina Dilbazi
Encyclopedia
Amina Pasha qizi Dilbazi ' onMouseout='HidePop("31955")' href="/topics/Qazax">Qazakh
, Azerbaijan
– 30 April 2010, Baku
, Azerbaijan
) was an Azerbaijan
i folk dancer.
, Amina Dilbazi was born in a rural community near Qazakh, but grew up in Baku where the family settled after her older brother's death. Despite this, Dilbazi spoke Azeri
with a distinct Qazakh drawl for rest of her life. At age 10, after suffering from severe tonsillitis
, young Amina was diagnosed with paralysis
, for which she underwent long-term treatment. At 16, she was already a recognised amateur gymnast, and around that time, she passed the audition to join the newly-created Azerbaijan State Folk Song and Dance Ensemble. Her dance instructor was balletmaster Ilya Arbatov. In just three years, Dilbazi herself became assistant balletmaster of the said ensemble.
A major turning point of her career came later in the 1940s when Niyazi
agreed to musically accompany Dilbazi's performance of the Turaji folk dance at a concert attended by Azerbaijan's ruling Stalinist elite, including the republic's Communist Party leader Mir Jafar Baghirov
. Dilbazi had severely injured her knee during one of the practices and was advised by doctors not to perform, but she concealed this fact and made a successful performance under the risk of having her leg amputated. Dilbazi was hospitalised immediately after the concert and underwent treatment for many months. Niyazi found out about this risky exploit only on his deathbed in 1984; from a confession Dilbazi herself later bitterly regretted making. Turaji, however, came to be Dilbazi's favourite dance. As a balletmaster, she staged folk dances, the most famous ones being (in addition to Turaji) Innabi, Tarakama, Mirzai and Naz Elama. In 1949, she started working as a dance instructor at the Baku School of Choreography. In the following decades, she was the choreographer for a number of Azerbaijani musicals, including the 1956 film version of If Not That One, Then This One
, where Dilbazi herself featured performing a dance in one of the scenes.
In 1959, the already retired Amina Dilbazi was recognised with the title of People's Artist
of Azerbaijan. After her retirement as a dancer, she continued her work as a dance instructor and artistic director of several dance ensembles.
tour, Amina Dilbazi met Fikrat Amirov who was three years her junior. Amirov proposed to her, and the two were due to get married but Dilbazi decided to break off their engagement, having been nurturing feelings for Jovdat Hajiyev
, another young composer and her artistic director at the time. Hajiyev and Dilbazi registered their marriage before the end of World War II
and remained happily married for nearly six decades (until Hajiyev's death in 2002), producing four children. Their elder son Ismayil Hajiyev
is the conductor of the Canadian
Silk Way Orchestra.
In March 2010, Amina Dilbazi suffered a stroke and died having failed to recover.
Qazax
Qazax is a city in and the capital of the Qazakh Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 20,900.-History:...
, Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was the first successful attempt to establish a democratic and secular republic in the Muslim world . The ADR was founded on May 28, 1918 after the collapse of the Russian Empire that began with the Russian Revolution of 1917 by Azerbaijani National Council in...
– 30 April 2010, Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
, Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
) was an Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
i folk dancer.
Biography
Cousin of poetess Mirvarid DilbaziMirvarid Dilbazi
Mirvarid Dilbazi , was an Azerbaijani poetess.She was born in the village of Musakoy located in the Gazakh, Azerbaijan. Both of her grandfathers, Haji Rahim and Abdurahman Dilbazi, were poets. In 1921, Mirvarid moved to Baku and got admitted to the newly established Female Boarding School...
, Amina Dilbazi was born in a rural community near Qazakh, but grew up in Baku where the family settled after her older brother's death. Despite this, Dilbazi spoke Azeri
Azerbaijani language
Azerbaijani or Azeri or Torki is a language belonging to the Turkic language family, spoken in southwestern Asia by the Azerbaijani people, primarily in Azerbaijan and northwestern Iran...
with a distinct Qazakh drawl for rest of her life. At age 10, after suffering from severe tonsillitis
Tonsillitis
Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the tonsils most commonly caused by viral or bacterial infection. Symptoms of tonsillitis include sore throat and fever. While no treatment has been found to shorten the duration of viral tonsillitis, bacterial causes are treatable with antibiotics...
, young Amina was diagnosed with paralysis
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
, for which she underwent long-term treatment. At 16, she was already a recognised amateur gymnast, and around that time, she passed the audition to join the newly-created Azerbaijan State Folk Song and Dance Ensemble. Her dance instructor was balletmaster Ilya Arbatov. In just three years, Dilbazi herself became assistant balletmaster of the said ensemble.
A major turning point of her career came later in the 1940s when Niyazi
Niyazi
Niyazi Zulfigar oglu Tagizade Hajibeyov was a prominent Soviet Azerbaijani musical conductor, composer, author of the famous "Rast" symphonic mugam.-Early life:...
agreed to musically accompany Dilbazi's performance of the Turaji folk dance at a concert attended by Azerbaijan's ruling Stalinist elite, including the republic's Communist Party leader Mir Jafar Baghirov
Mir Jafar Baghirov
Mir Jafar Baghirov Abbas oglu was the communist leader of Azerbaijan SSR from 1932 till 1953, under the Soviet leadership of Joseph Stalin.-Early life:Born in Quba of Baku Governorate in 1896, Baghirov studied pedagogy in Petrovsk....
. Dilbazi had severely injured her knee during one of the practices and was advised by doctors not to perform, but she concealed this fact and made a successful performance under the risk of having her leg amputated. Dilbazi was hospitalised immediately after the concert and underwent treatment for many months. Niyazi found out about this risky exploit only on his deathbed in 1984; from a confession Dilbazi herself later bitterly regretted making. Turaji, however, came to be Dilbazi's favourite dance. As a balletmaster, she staged folk dances, the most famous ones being (in addition to Turaji) Innabi, Tarakama, Mirzai and Naz Elama. In 1949, she started working as a dance instructor at the Baku School of Choreography. In the following decades, she was the choreographer for a number of Azerbaijani musicals, including the 1956 film version of If Not That One, Then This One
If Not That One, Then This One
"If Not That One, Then This One" , also known as "Meshadi Ibad" is a musical comedy by Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov written in 1910 and performed for the first time in Baku in 1911...
, where Dilbazi herself featured performing a dance in one of the scenes.
In 1959, the already retired Amina Dilbazi was recognised with the title of People's Artist
People's Artist
People's Artist is a honorary title in the Soviet Union, Union republics, in some other Eastern bloc states , as well as in a number of post-Soviet states, modeled after the title of the People's Artist of the USSR....
of Azerbaijan. After her retirement as a dancer, she continued her work as a dance instructor and artistic director of several dance ensembles.
Personal life
In the early 1940s, during her KirovabadGanja, Azerbaijan
Ganja is Azerbaijan's second-largest city with a population of around 313,300. It was named Yelizavetpol in the Russian Empire period. The city regained its original name—Ganja—from 1920–1935 during the first part of its incorporation into the Soviet Union. However, its name was changed again and...
tour, Amina Dilbazi met Fikrat Amirov who was three years her junior. Amirov proposed to her, and the two were due to get married but Dilbazi decided to break off their engagement, having been nurturing feelings for Jovdat Hajiyev
Jovdat Hajiyev
Ahmad Jovdat Ismayil oglu Hajiyev was one of the major Azerbaijani composers of the Soviet period. He is remembered for his monumental orchestral works, having been the first Azerbaijani to compose a symphony...
, another young composer and her artistic director at the time. Hajiyev and Dilbazi registered their marriage before the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and remained happily married for nearly six decades (until Hajiyev's death in 2002), producing four children. Their elder son Ismayil Hajiyev
Ismayil Hajiyev
Ismayil Ahmad Jovdat oglu Hajiyev is an Azerbaijani-Canadian conductor and composer. He is the son of Azerbaijani composer Jovdat Hajiyev and folk dancer Amina Dilbazi....
is the conductor of the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Silk Way Orchestra.
In March 2010, Amina Dilbazi suffered a stroke and died having failed to recover.