ISLAMABAD: The International Dance Festival 2014 began at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) before a packed hall. The festival this year – A Divine Journey – comprises a remarkable amalgamation of traditions, styles and disciplines of dance from around the world.

The first day of the festival began with performances by Adnan Jahangir and Shayma Saiyid. Adnan is a talented dancer and choreographer from Pakistan who started learning Kathak from Bina Jawwad in 1999 and has since then performed nationally and internationally.

He was also Nahid Siddiqui’s student for four years and attended workshops by Kumudini Lakhia. His current dance mentor is Guru Rajendra Gangani from Delhi. His performance showed that dance is an expression of self which initiates the journey of love towards finding God.

Shayma Saiyid trained under Mahraj Ghulam Hussain for seven years in Lahore starting at the age of six. In Karachi she continued Kathak training under Nighat Chaudhry and Odissi training with Sheema Kermani.

She performed two pieces, one an excerpt choreographed by Jahanara Akhlaq and the second a Kathak performance in Raag Rageshri, Ektaal choreographed by Nighat Chaudhry.

The next two performers presented a fusion of the traditional and avant garde, with their incredibly experienced and talented routines - Navtej Johar, an exponent of Bharatanatyam and Nahid Siddiqui, the face of Kathak in Pakistan.

Navtej, who is recognised as a cutting edge choreographer whose work is sensitive, compelling and layered, said: “Whenever I am back in these parts it is a very emotional time for me. My mother was from Pindi and my father was from Chakwal.”

(L-R) Shayma Syed, Navtej Johar, Nahid Siddiqui and Adnan Jahangir perform at the International Dance Festival in Islamabad on Monday. — Photos by Ishaque Chaudhry

He explained the ethos of the piece he performed, “The piece is a composition of South Indian composer Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar’s paean of praise to Meenakshi, the fish-eyed, green goddess of Maduari. Hindu cosmology incorporates all cosmologies and in this cosmology the feminine is energy and energy is attention. Attention works in three ways - it hops like the bird, scurries like a crab and in the purest form it swims like a fish. This piece is on Meenakshi who seeks endless, seamless freedom.”

Nahid Siddiqui said: “It is such a heartening feeling to see such a wonderful response from the audience. A nation is recognised by its posture and we need to train young people in dance as an art form.”

Speaking of Kathak, she said: “It suits the character of the North Indian region - and Pakistan falls in that region.” She paid a tribute to the great legend Tufail Niazi.

The last piece by the duo was a tribute to Punjab.

Navtej said: “Before we conclude I want to say that Nahid and I are the only two Punjabi dancers of classical Indian dance forms and we bring into these dances a Punjabi sensitivity which is unique. According to a Unesco report, Punjabi will be an extinct language very soon and sitting in the heart of Punjab, in Islamabad we must draw our attention to the beauty of the Punjabi language and culture because we have to value these. They belong to us and no one else will value them for us.”

Performing to a Kaafi of Sufi poet Baba Bulleh Shah, the two dancers bridged the gap between Bharatanatyam and Kathak.

The show ended with a performance by Shahrokh Moshkin Ghalam, an Iranian modern dancer and choreographer who dazzled the audience with his theatrical and interpretative piece. His movements reflected a multitude of mental and emotional states and their placement in society.

“The show was good but we are not so interested in classical dance,” said Minahil Aftab and Faryal Shakil, two young women who were expecting something less steeped in tradition and form. Perhaps this more than anything else points to a need to expose the youth to traditional arts before all capacity of appreciating them is lost.

Riffat Pasha, who had brought his entire family, said: “It was a good event and classical arts and crafts need to be promoted.”

Mehreen Gilani, a student of Nahid Siddiqui’s, expressed the hope that Rafi Peer would continue their efforts to promote classical culture.

Nigar Nazar said: “The beginning was a revival of what we know but the end was different and unique - very interesting.”

Manizeh Bano said: “Beautiful forms of classical dancing. It is always a pleasure to see maestros. Navtej had exquisite precision in his movements while Nahid explained the steps beautifully.”

Saba Ahmed said: “It was a wonderful experience, a much needed one, rather than dharnas. Because I strongly believe that societies that are exposed to art and culture develop much more. Just pure art without politicising it. I personally liked Navtej Johar, from India, the best. The level of his performance was phenomenal. Absolutely brilliant in form, style, content and above all the response it evokes in the audience.”

Published in Dawn December 16th , 2014