ISLAMABAD, April 27: Nahid Siddiqui was one with the cosmos and so was her audience as she translated her thoughts into the sacred art of kathak performed with devotion.

Every tatkar (footwork composition) is like a movement speaking words, borne out of love and inner peace throughout the carefully fashioned ritual.

The audience in the National Art Gallery auditorium was introduced to a rich style of dance on Saturday night, with certain elements of surprise and amazement intriguing the curiosity of many.

The evening performance, organised by the Asian Study Group, began with an endearing warm welcome from Nahid Siddiqui’s students who performed to Maati kudam karendee yaar ( a haunting Kaafi by the poet Bulleh Shah about the complexity of Earth) with Imran Jaffrey on the vocals, Hassan Mohyuddin on the tabla and Nahid Siddiqui reciting herself.

The audience was mystified by the percussive instrument, especially by Hassan Mohyuddin’s tabla.

Dancers charmed the stage with their animated expressions, intricate flowing hand-and-arm movements, and repeated gentle stomping of their bare feet on the wooden floor. The classical Kathak dance form soon began to take a presence of its own.

The six dancers clearly brought innovation and expertise to the piece as they were concise and in sync. The choreography was fluid and eye-catching.

Interjecting the various sounds and words, Nahid Siddique came wearing bells on her ankles and enacting stories with her performance. What seemed easy moves were actually complicated series of abstractions in rhythmic patterns and brilliant improvisations with flawless timings.

She danced to Tere ishq nachaya thaya thaya, a composition in which Bulleh Shah expressed his love for divinity and its effect on his existence, drawing his inspiration from the language of kathak. Then the legend danced to her composition of Bulleh Shah’s famous Kaafi about how people spend their time preparing only to wait for their turn to depart from the world.

Although, the hour and a half performances were three long acts, probably the most wonderful presentation, or pure dance as someone in the audience described it, came in the end when Nahid Siddiqui’s improvised movements, characterised by fast rhythmic footwork, matched the accompanying percussion sounds played by Hassan Mohyuddin on his tabla.

The two indulged in a virtuoso display of musical proficiency as Nahid Siddiqui flowed and twirled on the musical waves with her ankle-fitting trousers and swirling skirt, while Hassan Mohyuddin corresponded delicately and sensitively to the form of kathak.

This was the fourth performance by Nahid Siddiqui for the Asian Study Group over the years.