A troupe of 13 singers, dancers and musicians from Uzbekistan, an independent republic since 1991, performed in Mitchell Hall in November. Uzbek dance is characterized by intricate arm and hand movements, dazzling spins and deep backbends. Uzbek frame drums and traditional singers accompanied the dancers. Formerly a part of the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan is located on the Great Silk Road, a network of trade routes linking China and the Mediterranean.