LAHORE: A fusion performance of folk and classical dance will be held at Shakir Ali Museum on March 31.

The performers will be from the National Performing Art Group (NPAG) and the show has been choreographed by noted kathak dancer Adnan Jahangir.

The performance will be organised by Shakir Ali Museum, the regional office of the Pakistan National Council of the Arts. “The NPAG will perform after a hiatus of two years as it will be their first performance after the pandemic,” Shakir Ali Museum Director Tania Suhail told Dawn on Sunday.

She said dresses had specially been designed for the exclusive show titled, Bahar Ayee. Ms Suhail said Adnan Jahangir had been training the group for their upcoming performance for the last one month.

The NPAG, the high-scale dance wing of the PNCA, was established in 2006. The group has inspired choreographers such as Roshan Ara Bokhari and Zarin Pana to share their expertise with it. The group over the years had different choreographers who worked with the NPAG and the performers used to be taught an average seven dances every year. By now, they have learnt over 100 dances including Peacock Dance, Candle Dance, Cotton Picker’s Dance, Basant Bahar Dance, Jhoomar, Harvest Dance, Dhamal, Luddi, and Bhangra, besides Katthak and other forms of classical dance.

In the past, it was decided that the group would perform at the Shakir Ali Museum after every two months but this process could not be followed.

Ms Suhail said Shakir Ali Museum would try its best to hold regular performances of the NPAG Lahore wing. She said work was being done on a cultural calendar which includes visual and performing art classes, talks and discussions.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2022