Galiya Izmaylova

Galiya Bayazit gizi Izmaylova ( 12 February 1923 – 2 October 2010) was an Uzbek and Soviet ballerina of Tatar origin, ballet master, choreographer, teacher, People's Artist of the USSR, and laureate of the Stalin Prize II degree (1950).

Early life and education Galiya Izmaylova was born on 12 February 1923 in Tomsk into a Tatar family. Izmaylova's father was repressed when she was nine years old. She left Tomsk with her mother after her father's death and from 1931 lived in Tashkent.

Izmaylova began her dance career at the age of 11, and soon she was invited to the newly opened ballet school. In 1935, Izmaylova entered the Uzbek Republican Ballet School. After graduation she entered the troupe of the Uzbek Opera and Ballet Theater in Tashkent. In 1944, she received the first recognition of the audience as a performer of Fergana and Tajik dances, performing at the concerts of the Second Decade of the musical art of Central Asia Republics (Tashkent).

Izmaylova toured abroad (China, Romania, France, Great Britain, India, USA, etc.) as a performer of Uzbek folk dances, as well as Chinese, Arab, Indian, etc. She was buried at the Chigatay cemetery.

Awards and honors

Soviet awards People's Artist of Uzbek SSR (1951) People's Artist of the USSR (1962) Stalin prize 2nd class (1950) Honored Artist of the Uzbek SSR (1950) Two Order of Lenin (6 December 1951 and 18 March 1959) Order of the Badge of Honor

Uzbek awards Medal of Labor Glory (1997) Order of Friendship (1998) Order of Labor Glory (2003)