Gulshara Zhienkulova was born in the town of Verny (present-day
Almaty) on August 18, 1912. She studied history at Kazakh Pedagogical Institute (current
Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University) in 1929–1930. Zhienkulova's primary mentor was
Alexander Alexandrov, In 1934, Zhienkulova joined the theater of drama and music now known as
The Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theatre named after Abay) where she performed folk dances in Auezov's musical drama
Ayman-Sholpan, as well as operas
Kyz-Zhibek, Zhalbyr and Er Targhin by
Yevgeny Brusilovsky. Shara graced Kalkaman-Mamyr, the first Kazakh national ballet, as Mamyr in 1938. She also performed as Balym in the sound movie
Amangeldy produced by the Kazakhstani filmmakers the same year. Together with ballet master Leonid Zhukov, Shara Zhienkulova staged a ballet called Koktem (Spring) by
Ivan Nadirov in 1940. She worked at
Jambyl Kazakh State Philharmonic for over 20 years and led the Kazakh SSR Song and Dance Company. She served as the director of
Almaty Choreographic College from 1966 until 1975. To develop national dance art, Zhienkulova traveled extensively across auls, studying ancient rituals, national costumes, traditions and cultural heritage of her people. She created such unforgettable dances as Tattimbet, Ayzhan Kyz,
Kara Jorga and Kyryk Kyz. When the folk department of the Almaty Choreographic College opened in 1965, she placed Kazakh dance on a professional footing with her own teaching methodologies. Shara Zhienkulova has been called a diamond of musical and plastic arts.
Gulfairus Ismailova painted Kazakh Waltz for her. It is also the name of one of Zhienkulova's most famous productions, set to the music by Khamidi. Kazakh Waltz was first performed during the 10-day Festival of Kazakh Literature and Arts in the Bolshoi in Moscow in 1968 by an all-female group of dancers and was later showcased in the Soviet Union and abroad. Shara Zhienkulova died on May 21, 1991, 40 days after the death of her son Bulat Dzhandarbekov, she was buried next to him in the
Kensai cemetery in Almaty. == Filmography ==