When Kazakh choreographer Alisher Sultanbekuly went viral for a video of himself dancing inside a traditional Kazakh yurt (or tent), the backlash was almost immediate.
Wearing stiletto shoes, short shorts and figure-hugging kamzols (vests adorned with Kazakh ornaments), he danced alongside two women to a Kazakh song. Alisher said it was a birthday gift to himself and a creative way to connect with Kazakh history, and while many celebrated this, others accused it of tarnishing traditional Kazakh values.
The controversy escalated when government officials weighed in. Samat Musabayev, a member of parliament, labelled the video “an attack on the honour of our nation”. The Minister of Culture and Information, Aida Balayeva called it “provocative” and “harmful to the upbringing of the younger generation.”
