Born: 28 January 1936, Uzbekistan
Died: NA
Country most active: Uzbekistan
Also known as: Бернара Рахимовна Кариева, Bernora Qoriyeva
Ballerina, choreographer and politician Bernara Karieva danced as the Navoi Theater’s prima ballerina from 1956 to 1996, becoming artistic director in 1994 and serving in that role until 2002. In addition to performing in more than 55 productions, she founded the Youth Ballet of Uzbekistan in 1979, managing it until 1983.
As a child, she attended her father’s productions as director of the Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre, and attended the Uzbek Choreographic School (later renamed the Tashkent State Higher School of National Dance and Choreography) from 1947 to 1951, followed by the Moscow Choreographic School (now the Moscow State Academy of Choreography), where she studied with Maria Kozhukhova and graduated in 1955.
As a choreographer, Karieva combined traditional Uzbek folk dancing with classical ballet, and started a private choreographic school in 2004, in addition to being a professor at the State Academy of Choreography of Uzbekistan. She convinced the Uzbek government to establish the Union of Theater Workers, which she chaired from 1985 to 1998, in addition to chairing the Coordinating Council for South-East Asian theaters.
Karieva joined the Communist Party in 1967, and was an elected deputy of the USSR in the Congress of People’s Deputies of the Soviet Union from 1989 to 1991. She served on the committee of the Commission of the Council of Nationalities on the Development of Culture, Language, National and International Traditions, Protection of Historical Heritage, and became an advisor to the Uzbek Minister of Culture in 2002.
Her accolades include a silver medal at the Moscow Choreographic School, Order of the Badge of Honour, People’s Artist of the Uzbek SSR and the USSR, State Hamza Prize, USSR State Prize, Order of the Red Banner of Labour, Certificate of Honor of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shukhrat Medal, People’s Artist of the Kyrgyz Republic and Fidokorona Hizmatlari Uchun.