RAWALPINDI, Nov 8: Renowned classical dancer Nighat Chaudhry on Thursday night enthralled audiences with an exquisite performance of Kathak and other traditional dances at a local hotel.

The event was jointly organised by Musikar, an event management group, in collaboration with a local hotel.

The show was attended by diplomats and elite of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Nighat started with a traditional Kathak dance on Raag Darbari, followed by an outstanding performance in Dhamaal.

The sounds of Tabla and other traditional instruments created a distinct atmosphere and the dancer’s traditional dress in red and black gave the look of a dancing diva.

Her steps matched the beat of the Tabla perfectly and her expressions told the story behind the dance.

When classical musicians started playing their instruments, the dancer taking her cue, got in the groove and started performing her well coordinated steps.

She also performed the Dhamaal on a popular Sufi song.

Another performance was on Raag Darbari, and Raag Kaliam. The musicians: Tahir Khan and Professor Shahbaz, Mohammad Sarfraz received great appreciation from the public.

The musicians enthralled the audience, who gave a standing ovation at the end of the show.

The audience said that it was challenging work to create balance between the beats of the tabla and the harmonium.

“The performance showed the musician was mature and knew how to balance the tunes,” said one audience member.

Another audience member said that she enjoyed the fusion of classical and semi-classical music.

Other guests said that such functions should be arranged in the garrison city more often to provide an opportunity to music lovers.

Earlier, Tahir Khan, one of the organisers, informed the audience that the basic aim of the programme was to give the people a good break and provide an opportunity for entertainment.