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Dance sometimes feels like the stepchild of the other classical art forms considered more ‘acceptable’ — singing and music. While on the surface it would seem that productions that showcase a more western form of dance production, such as in musicals, catch both the audiences’ fancy and the sponsors’ funding, they too are not without their own struggle.

Despite the odds facing dance in this country, the Arts Council recently held a two-day mega event titled the Karachi Dance Festival 2017. It featured performances and panel discussions by over 150 folk, classical and modern dancers from around the country.

“We covered the entire country in this festival,” says the president of the Arts Council, Muhammad Ahmed Shah, adding that the institution has been promoting the arts for the past 64-65 years. Some of the events they’ve previously-hosted include individual or group-based dance performances, but nothing on the scale of the festival. “Folk dancers all the way from Gilgit to Karachi were present. We also included classical dancers and contemporary dancers as well.”

He added, that this time around, they experimented with their line-up to include artists like Horeya Asmat. “She’s an NCA graduate and a student of [the dhol maestro] Goonga Saieen,” relates Shah. “She came in a four-member troupe and performed during our closing ceremony as well.”

Compared to other art forms, dance has always had to struggle to make its space in the country

“The sad part is that this was the first dance festival in 70 years,” he says, implying that an event of this sort should’ve taken place sooner. “Dance is a very strong part of our culture. We have a very strong heritage of dance in Pakistan. The statue of the Dancing Girl from Mohenjo-Daro is proof that dance existed in our culture even 5,000 years ago. People danced back then, so why not now?”

This sentiment was echoed by Syed Sardar Ali Shah, the Sindh Minister for Culture, Tourism and Antiquities at the festival’s opening ceremony. “Moenjodaro’s ‘Dancing Girl’ statue is proof [that dance has always been a part of our culture],” he said then. “Dance is hidden in our happiness. It cannot be cut from our spirit. I said this even after the explosion during a dhamaal in Sehwan and I say it again now, that our reply to [that] dhamaka is with the dhamaal.”

Besides performances, the dance festival also included discussions about dance and its role in society.

“Dance is not just a craft or skill,” said renowned Bharatnatyam dancer Sheema Kirmani during a panel discussion at the recently-concluded dance festival. “It’s a higher art which opens up the mind,” she added. The dancer, who also directs theatre plays, has been teaching dance for over 40 years. “Ghanshyam Sahib was my first guru,” she related. “He used to keep his doors open for everyone, be it for dance, yoga or anything else.” She explained that having spent so much time together the teacher and students bonded like an extended family.

Compared to the other arts — singing, music, theatre etc — why does dance carry the most stigma? “Because the human body is involved in this,” responds Muhammad Ahmed Shah, President of the Arts Council. “[Specifically] women’s bodies are involved. [People] believe that anything related to women’s bodies is vulgar. Whereas that is not the case.”

“The performing arts provide you mental peace and the power to deal with life’s challenges,” said dancer and choreographer Wahab Shah at the same event. “You learn when to use the right energy at the right time. Dance takes you to that level of ecstasy where you find yourself in a happy place.”

In the current sociopolitical climate of the country, was it easy to host such an event? “Nothing is easy in this country,” responds Shah. “We have taboos surrounding dance in this country. We have fundos’ that are trying to sabotage our cultural heritage. [The risk was so great] that even my wife asked me ‘Why am I doing this? This is very risky.’ But someone has to take the initiative.”

Why does he think compared to other arts — singing, music, theatre etc — dance carries the most stigma? “Because the human body is involved in this,” Shah responds. “[Specifically] women’s bodies are involved. [People] believe that anything related to women’s bodies is vulgar. Whereas that is not the case.”

That may be in part due to that perception of dance being promoted for cheap thrills and quick financial gain. While prominent musical theatre director, choreographer and dancer Nida Butt is happy to see such events take place as they provide a much-needed platform for dancers to exhibit their craft, she has a bone to pick with the state of dance shown in films and awards shows. “[It] is frankly cringe-worthy,” she says. “We have become C-grade mimics of Bollywood styles, seeped in crass boob-shakes, pelvic thrusts and mujra-style performances. This isn’t our culture. I blame choreographers entirely.”

“Most of the so-called ‘choreographers’ are men who’re catering to other men, and defining what is considered sexy, at the expense of our female performers. This is what the young generation of boys and girls are watching and absorbing. There’s very little difference between what’s being showcased in our films and the mujra-styled shows that take place at Al-Hamra [theatre in Lahore]. Directors should wake up and recognize the trash being put in their films.”

Those are tough words. “I feel very strongly about the direction dance is taking in our culture, being a choreographer and dancer myself,” she asserts.

The state of dance as an industry in this country is precarious at best. But this wasn’t always the case. “Back in the 1950s-60s there were over 50 music and dance schools in Karachi,” relates Shah. “Now you don’t see them. People now teach dance on an individual scale. We don’t have a single institution dedicated to teaching purely dance. But we are promoting this art form. For us, this is a form of resistance.”

Contrary to popular perception, funding for ‘contemporary’ performances hasn’t been easy. “Sponsors are interested in primarily the number of eyeballs,” says Butt. “Theatre cannot compete with a televised show or even film, as sponsors get more mileage for their buck [through those mediums]. Our productions are ‘Big Bang’, so the price tag isn’t cheap.”

“The overall number of productions [that took place] annually have dwindled away in the last few years. So, unless the government doesn’t start introducing subsidies for the theatre industry, we’re pretty much done for. It’s been done for film, it’s critical we do it for theatre now.”

While the government needs to step up with providing grants to the performing arts, there are some positive developments in the horizon. Other than its annual youth, theatre and international Urdu conference, and now the Karachi Dance Festival, the Arts Council will also be hosting an International Culture and Performing Arts Summit in January 2017 – and embedded in this will be an international dance segment. “[The idea behind it is that] it’s connecting people globally through culture,” said Shah. “People are divided by war and the exchange of culture is the remedy because it brings people together.”

It’s been a month since the festival has concluded. Does he feel its managed to make some kind of an impact? “I have received feedback from around the world,” said Shah happily. “From our diplomatic circles. We posted [coverage of the festival] online. Now people can see for themselves — who says Pakistan is an intolerant country?”

Originally published in Dawn, ICON, July 2nd, 2017