Today is the Day of Culture and Art Workers of the Republic of Uzbekistan. We are used to admiring bright performances on stage, applauding the skill of the artists. But behind every flawless performance, behind every festive evening, there is the selfless work of people whom the audience almost never sees. Our story is about them: about the real heroes behind the scenes, about the employees of the Metallurg Hall of Culture.

Many people do not know them by sight. They do not come out to take a bow, and the applause does not go to them. But without their skill and dedication to their work, there would be no festive occasion.

Seamstresses Lenara Ramazanova and Dilnoza Toshmatova are the ones who create costumes for the dance groups of the Hall of Culture – “Edelweiss”, “Kaleidoscope”, “Sitora” and many others.

- Design, fabric, cut – everything is agreed upon with the team leaders. The work begins with the artist’s sketch, and the costume is created based on it. We have more than ten dance groups at the Hall, and every month we sew attires for each of them, - says Lenara Ramazanova. We take special care in creating costumes for Edelweiss and Kaleidoscope – they perform at international competitions and represent the honor of our country. Everything we sew is, without exaggeration, our image.

- We are currently working on a Chinese national costume for Edelweiss, - adds Dilnoza Toshmatova. We carefully study which fabric should be used, consult online sources, and delve into the details. We think over every detail so that there is no any flaw. We make sure that the costume is elegant and the fabric breathes. A dancer on stage should feel free without any discomfort and constraints.

Fabulous costumes for New Year's performances, which children eagerly await every year, also require special skill. Every year there is a new fairy tale, new heroes, and each image must be embodied with love and precision.

In the hands of these skilled craftswomen, not only Uzbek attires brighten up, but also Russian, Kazakh, Ukrainian, Moldovan, Indian, and Korean costumes. And perhaps this is the real happiness – to take joy in doing your work. When our heroines see the dancers twirl on stage in the dresses they made, fatigue recedes and their hearts fill with quiet pride.

Another hero of our story is stage manager Zarif Masairov, the man who directly determines whether the event will be held at a high level. The audience watches with admiration as the curtain mysteriously opens, as the scenery changes in the blink of an eye, as characters unexpectedly appear. But few people think that behind all this magic is the painstaking, almost invisible work of the stage manager.

There are no pauses in his work. High metal walkways behind the scenes, heavy machinery, constant readiness for any eventuality – this is his scene, invisible to the audience. He does not come out to take a bow. There is no applause for him. But the genuine amazement on the faces of the audience and the success of each performance is his highest reward.

Today, the Metallurg Hall of Culture is the heart of Almalyk’s cultural life. An average of fifteen events of various formats take place therein every month: festive concerts, themed evenings, educational programs. Each of these figures is based on the selfless work of dozens of people.

Behind the sparkling footlights, the stage scenery and captivating costumes are people like Zarif Masairov, Lenara Ramazanova and Dilnoza Tashmatova – masters of their craft, without whom no victory on stage is unthinkable.

Taking this opportunity, we wholeheartedly congratulate the staff of the Metallurg Hall of Culture on the Day of Cultural and Art Workers of the Republic of Uzbekistan!