COLLECTIONS
Zaur Dakhte Collection
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A Life in Film and Photography
A Passion for Ballet and the Legacy of Malika Sabirova
Dakhte held a deep admiration for ballet, particularly for Malika Sabirova (1942–1982), the celebrated prima ballerina of the Tajik SSR and People’s Artist of the USSR. Their close personal and artistic relationship led Dakhte to create intimate visual records of her performances, rehearsals, and public appearances. His documentaries Malika and Our Malika remain invaluable resources for understanding Soviet-era ballet in Tajikistan.
Dakhte’s lens captures Tajikistan’s dance history vividly.Nima Kiann
In 2012, during a collaboration with the National Ballet of Tajikistan, Nima Kiann, artistic director of Les Ballets Persans, met Dakhte, who was still actively documenting performances. This meeting led to Dakhte generously donating parts of his personal archive to Les Ballets Persans and the Eastern Dance Forum, aiming to “safeguard the memory of the fact that Tajikistan once had a world-class national ballet and produced dance megastars.”
Archival Significance
The Zaur Dakhte Collection at Les Ballets Persans is a vital repository for the study of ballet and institutional dance in Tajikistan. His extensive visual and cinematic materials offer rare insights into the golden era of Tajik ballet, particularly during the 1960s and 1970s. When combined with holdings from the Tajik state archives, Dakhte’s personal collection fills critical gaps in understanding the development of dance institutions in Soviet Central Asia. This collection serves as a cornerstone for future scholarly research, publications, and documentary productions dedicated to preserving Tajikistan’s rich ballet heritage.
Zaur Dakhte’s untimely passing on August 15, 2024, in a tragic car accident in Tajikistan, marked the end of an era. His legacy endures through his extensive body of work, which continues to inspire and inform generations of artists, historians, and cultural enthusiasts.