December 9 would have been the 99th birthday of Remziye Bakkal — a foundational figure of Crimean Tatar culture, a ballet master and choreographer who dedicated 75 years of her life to dance. She passed away at 95, but her legacy lives on. Remziye hanım was the artistic director of the legendary ensemble «Haytarma,» which became a symbol of national identity. She raised entire generations of dancers who preserved and developed authentic Crimean Tatar dance, bringing its origins to the present day. Her life was entirely devoted to creativity, and her heart beat to the rhythm of dance until her last breath.