The living circle performance and communitas in Uzbek folklore ensembles

Abstract

This article examines the structural, aesthetic, and social principles underpinning the performance of Uzbek folklore ensembles, with a particular focus on the concept of the circle as both a physical formation and a metaphysical organizer of musical and social experience. Moving beyond an analysis of repertoire or instrumentation, it argues that the circular performance practice is not merely a theatrical arrangement but a fundamental technology for generating communitas - a potent, liminal state of social unity and shared identity. The study posits that the circle functions as a dynamic field where sonic, kinetic, and visual elements coalesce to enact and reinforce core cultural values of collectivity, cyclical time, and spiritual interconnection. Through an ethnographic and performative analysis, the article investigates three interrelated domains: the acoustic and polyphonic relationships fostered within the circular arrangement, where melody, rhythm, and drone create a woven sonic fabric; the role of collective, often circular, movement and gesture in physically embodying musical rhythms and narratives; and the circle’s function as a sacred-profane ritual space that mediates between the audience and performers, tradition and the present moment, and the individual and the collective. This research concludes that the living circle of the folklore ensemble is a vital, performative engine for the continual rejuvenation of social cohesion and cultural memory, asserting that the music’s meaning is inextricable from the communal form of its manifestation.