KARACHI, Feb 1: The Pakistan-American Cultural Center presented scintillating Kathak dance performances on Saturday night. The director of the cultural affairs department at the PACC, Asma Ahmad, introduced the performers.

The first one to perform was a cute little child, Wenezhe, who "has been learning Kathak dance for the past eight months."

Noor Kaiser, seven-year-old student of Hamid Hussain, performed next. Ms Ahmad explained that the girl had been dancing for the past four months. "She started Kathak with Fasih-ur-Rehman at the Karachi Grammar School," Ms Ahmad said. The girl not only presented a good performance but also garlanded quite a few guests.

Babar Ali, a 22-year-old student of Hamid Hussain, presented two Kathak performances. Ms Ahmad said: "He has been training for over two years. He presented Kathak in Teen Taal, a cycle of beats which are repeated in a rhythm. It has 16 beats or Matras."

Noor Jehan Mecklai performed Kathak dance on a sorrowful composition called Jaagi ratiyan. Ms Ahmad said: "Noor Jehan has been learning Kathak for the past 15 years. Her first Ustad was master Yaqoob, here at the PACC. She has also been influenced by teachers like Naheed Siddiqui, Nighat Chaudhury and Fasih-ur-Rehman. Master Yaqoob was always very sincere to her. She has been composing since 1999. She danced in Kathak Ang to a Thumri followed by a Tarana in teen taal," she said.

The district officer of the city government's culture and sports department, Saifur Rahman Grami, who was chief guest at the function, said there were few entertainment facilities for the youth in Karachi. "They either sit at home and watch a wide variety of TV channels or fall into bad habits. The PACC should be commended for organizing such interesting cultural functions for the youth of the city," he said.

He recalled that in the past at least 11 coffee houses and seven bookshops had been located on Abdullah Haroon Road which used to be a hub of cultural activities. He regretted that such public places had been replaced by shops filled with smuggled goods.