KARACHI: A two-day Kathak dance presentation titled “Aqsaam-e-Naach: Andaaz-e-Kathak” will be held on February 13 and 14 at the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi, with performances beginning at 8:00 pm on both evenings. The production aims to highlight the discipline, grace and expressive depth of Kathak, one of South Asia’s most refined classical dance traditions.
Choreographed by leading Kathak exponent Mohsin Babar, the show will feature 12 dancers, all scholarship students trained at his Kathak School of Performing Arts, described as the city’s first academy dedicated exclusively to Kathak. The performers represent years of rigorous practice and immersion in the classical lineage-based training system.
The programme includes eight dance pieces comprising group compositions and solo performances. The repertoire will span traditional Kathak presentations as well as interpretive works such as fusion tarana, ghazal and other stylistic variations, offering audiences a layered view of the form’s range and versatility.
Speaking about the initiative, Babar said one of the primary aims of the production was to address social taboos surrounding dance, particularly the symbolism of the ghungroo. He remarked that the ghungroo is the dancer’s instrument, comparable to the tabla for a tabla player.
Through “Aqsaam-e-Naach,” Babar continues his efforts to preserve and promote Kathak at a time when classical dance faces diminishing space in mainstream cultural platforms. His school offers full scholarships to deserving students who wish to learn Kathak within the traditional lineage system but lack financial means.
In addition to staging performances in urban centres, Babar plans to take his productions to smaller towns and villages to expand access to classical dance for audiences who rarely experience it live.
Tickets are priced at Rs 1,500 and are available online through Townevent as well as at the venue. The patron of the show is Naween Mangi, a writer, rural development specialist and social entrepreneur known for supporting performing arts initiatives.
Mohsin Babar, who has 27 years of experience, has performed internationally and received training under Pakistan’s pioneering kathakar Ustaad Hamid Hussain Shaad Jaipuri. He later underwent advanced training at the National School of Drama in India under Ustaad Rajendra Gangani, and has also studied contemporary dance in Germany and Pakistani folk dance traditions.
His previous major production, “Khwaab,” a feature-length dance-theatre performance, was staged for approximately 50,000 people across six cities of Sindh last year. He also produced “Soch Badlen, Zindagi Sawarein,” a community theatre play focusing on family planning and women’s rights, which was performed in 10 villages.
