KARACHI When classical dancer Nighat Chaudhry took to the stage with Kenyan dancer Fernando Anuang at a Karachi hotel on June 7, it was hard to imagine what would transpire.

After all, the experimental performance by dancers from different worlds and traditions posed an unlikely combination. In fact, even at the end of the performance, the audience was left wondering whether the duo had successfully pulled off a fusion of eastern Kathak and African Massai dance.

With a soul-searching gaze and careful steps giving a hint of her ghungroos, Chaudhry was the first to make an entrance. As she moved across the stage, the audience could tell from her facial expressions that she was telling the story of a woman who had been disturbed by someone trespassing on her space. Enter Anuang, who in his full Massai warrior gear, complete with a stick and shield, made his aggressive presence felt. As if looking for prey to hunt, he too paced around the stage before coming face to face with his challenger. An improbable dance contest then commenced.

In his solo performance section, Anuang gave a taste of Massai dance. The African artist contorted his muscular body in a variety of sharp gestures that contrasted with Kathak's soft hand and facial movements. He jumped vigorously on stage taking care that his heels never touched the ground. He also oscillated his frame as if conducting a wave of current passing through him. Chaudhry on the other hand entertained the crowd with panache and grace. Even though she couldn't jump as high as Anuang, she had a response to each of his moves.

The performance, which began as a clash between the two artists, morphed into a dialogue in the end, with each dancer respecting the other and communicating through dance.

The high point of the evening arrived when the duo performed to Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's rendition of 'Allah Ho, Allah Ho'. Both Chaudhry and Anuang seemed to reconcile with each other at this point, twirling around together, holding the traditional stick of the Massai tribe.

'The stick is part of the Massai tribal tradition,' explains Anuang, adding, 'in Massai custom, it is believed that god had sent man down from heaven with a cow and a stick to take care of his animals. So this stick is not an instrument of war but a means for protection and peace. And that is what we're here for to spread the message of peace and dialogue.'

For her part, Chaudhry says that she had only two days to rehearse with Anuang and tried her best to fuse the two disparate dance forms. 'This is a special performance, particularly in the context that even though our country is going through a crucial phase, we have shown everyone here today that one can communicate through dance with anyone, no matter what race or culture they belong to.'

Although the evening was marred by unnecessarily long speeches by office holders of the Pak-Kenya friendship forum, it succeeded in entertaining the select gathering.