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MANZIL KE ANDAAZ - PROGRAM GUIDE
Why Manzil ke Andaaz
a note from Farah Yasmeen Shaikh,
Founder & Artistic Director of Noorani Dance
The first performance of a Kathak solo is neither the beginning nor the end. It is a culmination of years of training, hard work and commitment, to be able to share one’s skills and knowledge of this vast art form. Through the experience of preparing for this major milestone, the dancer is also awakened to this journey being one that continues for a lifetime.
Ayana Rao will showcase the various elements of Kathak – taiyaari (preparedness of strength and technique), layakari (deep understanding of rhythm and tempo), khubsurti (beauty) and nazaakat (delicacy and grace) – through execution of advanced movement technique, storytelling through mime and expression (abhinaya), and interaction with the musical artists often based in upaj (improvisation).
The chosen sections of the performance are a confluence of compositions and training that I received from my GuruJi, Pandit Chitresh Das and now pass onto Ayana, along with my own artistic developments and creations, and in close collaboration with the musical artists.
This experience is also an opportunity for the dancer to explore themes and stories that they find compelling and might represent their specific familial connections. Ayana will share more about the various aspects of her performance by introducing each and speaking to the audience, another important component of the Kathak tradition.
Ayana has worked extremely hard in preparation for tonight's performance, over many months, and even before she knew it, many years. Your presence and support for Ayana, all of the students of Noorani Dance School, and for the art of Kathak, is deeply appreciated.
All proceeds from ticket sales of this event, will benefit
TONIGHT'S PERFORMANCE
DEVI SUKTAM ~ a Rig Veda invocation to the sacred feminine
The Devi Suktam is a hymn dedicated to the Goddess, considered the supreme energy and creative force. It is chanted to invoke the Goddess's blessings, protect against negativity, and promote spiritual growth.
Ayana is joined by Noorani Dance Company and students of Noorani Dance School. (list of performers below)
THAAT, BOL/PADHANT
Thaat is the highly stylized tuning of the mind and body. The dancer demonstrates subtle gestures through the use of nigah (eyes), bhawain (eyebrows), gardan (neck), kalai (wrists) and saans (breath), juxtaposed with fast flourishes ending in crisp stances.
The focus is on the exploration of the chosen 10-beat taal (rhythmic cycle), Jhaptaal. This leads into bol/padhant, a rendering of compositions utilizing dance and tabla bols (syllables). The nagma (melody set to the taal pattern) is in Raag Basant Mukhari.
THUMRI - JAMUNA KINAARE MORA GAON
A thumri focused on Radha who proudly describes her gaon (village) and welcomes her beloved Krishna to it. However, in this rendition, Radha, alongside her friends (the gopis), are enjoying a day on the banks of the Jamuna River, and preparing to remove their jewelry and clothes to bathe in the river. They did not know that a mischievous Krishna was perched in a tree, hiding, and watching them.Once they spot him, he falls to the ground, caught and scolded by the gopis.
In a “flip the script” version, rather than the gopis entering the river unclothed, they insist that Krishna remove his clothing and bathe in the river while they watch. With no option but to comply, he goes into the river, timid and embarrassed. After sensing his humiliation, often told in the opposite direction, they offer him his clothing, and ensure that he realizes he is not the dominant character in their narrative.
Ayana will be joined by her closest dance sisters - Mira Ranganathan, Anoushka Rathi, Aziza Noor Shaikh, Anaya Tangri, and Simone Verma.
GAT BHAO - AKKA MAHADEVI
Mahadevi was born in 1130 CE in the Shivamogga district of Karnataka, one of the southern states of India. Her parents were avid devotees of Shiva, and passed on this devotion to their daughter. Mahadevi grew up worshiping the Linga, the symbol of Shiva and considered herself as being betrothed to him, referring to him as her spouse, which was common in Bhakti culture.
When Mahadevi’s parents inform that she must marry the village chieftain Kaushika, she is taken aback but after hearing that he blackmailed them and threatened their lives, she is left with no choice but to marry him. However, before the wedding, she insists that Kaushika agree to three conditions for her marriage: that she will not be deterred in any way from her sadhana and pooja, that she will not be prevented from meeting her gurus and that he will never be in the way of how she should live her life, especially in her devotion to her beloved Chennamallikarjuna (Shiva - Lord of the Hills). Kaushika agrees to all three conditions and for some time, all was well. He broke his promises a few times, but Mahadevi always forgave him until one fateful day.
Kaushika witnesses Mahadevi in deep devotion to Shiva, becomes increasingly jealous and angry, and breaks the ultimate promise, of which Mahadevi does not forgive.
Mahadevi decides to not just leave Kaushika, but denounces her material life and possessions, removing her jewelry and clothing, and loosening her long tresses, which draped down her now unclothed body. She travels 500 miles to a pilgrimage, to be amongst the most knowledgeable gurus and other devotees of Shiva.
She goes on to compose hundreds of vachanas (poetry and spoken word) regarding Shiva in a language that was both lyrical and profound, that touched and moved people from all backgrounds. With her depth of knowledge and devotion, all were impressed by Mahadevi and began to call her Akka respectfully, with warmth, elder sister in Kannada, the regional language of Karnataka, and this is how she became known as Akka Mahadevi.
MUSICAL PERFORMANCE BY ALAAP NAIR & ISHMEET KAUR DHILLON
HASTA HUA NOORANI CHEHRA
Originally from the film Parasmani, the music has been rearranged to fit a slightly more classical structure and brings various elements of Kathak throughout.
This song has special significance to Farah, not only because it has Noorani in the title, but also because it was a favorite of her GuruJi’s, Pandit Chitresh Das. He would often dance to this song in class and playfully challenge his students to do the same. It also became the melody to one of Pandit Das’ signature pieces Kailasa Vasa.
Hasta Hua Noorani Chehra is not only a celebration of the Noorani Dance community, but also a tribute to Farah’s GuruJi.
Ayana welcomes back Noorani Dance Company and students of Noorani Dance School to join her in her finale piece. (list of performers below)
Artists & Performers
AYANA RAO
Ayana began her dance journey with Kathak at 6 years old at the Chhandam School of Kathak, founded by the late Pandit Chitresh Das. She studied at Chhandam under the tutelage of various teachers, and at age 7, she began her training with Farah Yasmeen Shaikh.
Under Farah’s guidance and mentorship, Ayana has performed in various community events in the Bay Area alongside her peers from Noorani Dance School, where she also is a teaching assistant. In the recent Noorani Dance performance of Saabit Qadam - Perseverance, Ayana was invited to apprentice with the Noorani Dance Company, performing in multiple pieces in the production.
In addition to dance, Ayana volunteered at the Public Health Research Institute of India, in the summer of 2024, which resulted in a profound interest in the study of medicine and public health, inspiring her to publish a paper regarding cancer research. Ayana loves to read, play with her dog Hershey, and spend time with family and friends.
FARAH YASMEEN SHAIKH
Farah is an internationally acclaimed Kathak performer, choreographer, educator, and Founder & Artistic Director of Noorani Dance - a non profit arts organization, with a performing dance company and dance school. Farah’s artistic career spans close to 30 years, initiating her training with the late master, Pandit Chitresh Das in 1996, receiving close to two decades of training under his guidance, holding roles as a senior instructor in his institution and as a leading member of his performing company.
Known for her evocative storytelling, technical precision, delicacy and grace, Farah has gone on to develop a unique artistic voice, while also maintaining the classical elements of Kathak. Farah shares her work through performing and teaching throughout the US and internationally, with regular tours throughout Pakistan. Farah’s unique positionality as a Pakistani American Muslim Kathak Artist, is evident in her personal, and yet, globally relevant approach and amplification of topics of historical and social relevance through her performances and choreography.
A fierce advocate for the arts and artists, Farah is a TEDx speaker, hosts her own podcast - Heartistry, is an Arts Commissioner for San Mateo County, and is a public speaker on various topics related to art and social change.
MUSICAL ARTISTS
DEEPTI WARRIER - LEAD VOCALIST
Deepti is a trained vocalist in the Carnatic (South Indian) and Hindustani (North Indian) styles of the musical traditions, and is versed in both classical and semi-classical genres of music. She trained with Guru, Dr. Sisirkana Dhar Choudhury in the Hindustani tradition. Deepti enjoys composing and singing ghazals, and brings a deeply soothing melodic tone invoking visceral responses at all levels. Deepti brings a range of vocal technique and emotion to all aspects of her artistry, and has been collaborating with Farah Yasmeen Shaikh since 2014 as the lead vocalist for The Forgotten Empress which has toured nationally and internationally to Pakistan. A key collaborator in various virtual projects and live in the Bay Area and at multiple cities and venues throughout the US, Deepti has joined Farah for performances at Z Space, Hammer Theater, LACMA, Asia Society Texas Center, Wellesley College, and at the Richmond and Lowell Folk Festivals.
ALAAP NAIR, TABLA
Alaap is a trained Hindustani tabla artist, and he's been studying for 14 years under Shri Nikhil Pandya and Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri in the Lucknow gharana. Alaap is also a student at the University of California, Berkeley, where he studies Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Alaap has been a part of the Noorani Dance family from an early age, where he regularly accompanied weekly classes and summer workshops. Alaap's notable tabla achievements include a jugalbandi with his older sister, Athena, during her kathak solo and his performance during the 2024 Noorani Dance School Spring Showcase.
ISHMEET KAUR DHILLON - VIOLIN & RABAB
Ishmeet is a trained vocalist, rabab player, and violinist. She currently trains with Professor Dalbir Singh Ji and has learned classical violin from Raaginder Momi. She plays the harmonium, violin, rabab, and used to play upright string bass in her school orchestras and bands. Additionally, she is a trained singer. Ishmeet does Sikh Shabad Kirtan, having won numerous international competitions and performed on several stages. She is a rising sophomore at Yale University, studying Political Science on the Pre-Law track. This is Ishmeet’s first time collaborating with Noorani Dance, and performing with Kathak dance.
ATHENA NAIR, VOCALIST
Athena Nair is an artist and activist based in the Bay Area. She began her training in kathak at age 5 from Pandit Chitresh Das and instructors at his institution, including Farah. Athena performed her first kathak solo in 2019 under Farah’s tutelage, and is now a member of the Noorani Dance Company and an instructor at Noorani Dance School. She studied Hindustani vocal with Nachiketa Yakkundi. Athena has provided vocal accompaniment for Farah at the Montana & Lowell Folk Festivals, in Pakistan at the Faiz Festival in Lahore and the Karachi Literature Festival, and for various Noorani Dance productions.
Additional Musical Support:
Aziza Noor Shaikh, Bol-Padhant (recitation of syllables)
Gaurav Warrier, Tabla
NOORANI DANCE COMPANY
Founded and directed by Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, NDC is breaking barriers in the world of Kathak with a deep commitment to enlightening minds and hearts through the arts. NDC engages in traditional and innovative repertoire and performances - exploring topics and themes of historical and social global relevance, and thrives in collaborative partnerships across other forms of performing arts.
TONIGHT'S COMPANY DANCERS:
Ragini Kaur Momi, Riya Savla, Arshiya Vohra, Sharanya Padmanabhan, Mahncy Mehrotra
NOORANI DANCE SCHOOL
ADVANCED TEENS:
Mira Ranganathan, Anoushka Rathi, Aziza Noor Shaikh, Anaya Tangri, Simone Verma
INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED ADULTS:
Nitika Chandrakar, Tanya Ghosh, Shubhra Mathur, Pallavi Mittal, Indulekha Ramachandran, Lakshmi Ravi, Shreya Suvarna
BEGINNING ADULTS:
Sneha Gupta, Darshana Naik, Saamya Sethi, Mansi Shah, Deepmala Vij
INTERMEDIATE CHILDREN:
Riya Mehta, Natasha Reddy, Ashra Vaka, Siona Verma
BEGINNING/INTERMEDIATE CHILDREN:
Rhea Dhawan, Sahana Gupta, Kaira Kothari, Meera Mediratta, Aarini Patneedi
BEGINNING CHILDREN:
Anya Anand, Sarina Bhandari, Nihira Jain, Ellora Shah
Staff & Volunteers
Noorani Dance Administrative Staff:
Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, Founder & Director
Lakshmi Ravi, School Administrative Director
Bhumi Patel, Development Manager
Trisha Chhaganlal, Marketing Manager
Shubhra Mathur, Administrative Manager
Maha Sami, Administrative Assistant
Rabia Meghani, Special Projects Manager
Noorani Dance School Teaching Staff:
Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, Lead Instructor
Ragini Kaur Momi, Instructor
Athena Nair, Instructor
Teaching Assistants:
Ayana Rao, Anoushka Rathi,
Aziza Noor Shaikh, Simone Verma
Board of Directors:
Arti Dusane Rao, President
Pallavi Mittal, Secretary & Treasurer
Manisha Badola, Huma Hamid, Uma Menon,
Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, Sana Hoda Sood
Advisory Board:
Antara Bhardwaj, Iram Parveen Bilal, Najma Noorani,
Anjali Rao, Sonya Pelia
Production Support:
Sound & Lighting - Sri Nair & Prateek Sarkar
Stage Management - Maya & Diya Sachidanand
Costumes:
Ayana's solo costume: Alka Garg
Noorani Dance Company & School: Jhalak
Additional support: Anoushka Rathi, Ragini Kaur Momi
Additional Acknowledgements
Noorani Dance is supported by numerous individual donors and funders, of which we extend immense gratitude for their belief in the vision and mission of our organization.
Over the years, we are proud to have received support from the following institutional funders:
National Endowment for the Arts, California Arts Council,
Gerbode Foundation, MidAtlantic Arts Foundation, San Mateo County Office of Arts & Culture, Alliance for California Traditional Arts, Dancers Group, Walter & Elise Haas Fund, New England Foundation for the Arts,
Zellerbach Family Foundation and SVCreates.
Ayana's message of gratitude
Tonight is the culmination of years of support, love, and dedication from so many incredible people. I’m forever grateful to my parents, Anjali and Yatin Rao, for constantly supporting and encouraging me in every step of this journey, both on and off the dance floor. To my brother Ishan, whom I've always admired and can share anything with—(this is the nicest thing you will hear me say.) To all the family who are here tonight and those who’ve traveled from afar, your presence means the world. I’m so thankful to my grandparents for inspiring me to pursue something that connects me more deeply with both my culture and with them. Thank you for being part of this moment.
I am deeply grateful to Farah Didi for everything she has done for me and for the world, both as an extraordinary teacher and as an inspiring human being. Her unwavering dedication to Kathak, coupled with her tireless advocacy for peace and humanity, has profoundly impacted me. Over the past few months, I’ve spent countless hours with Farah Didi, and I truly feel blessed to learn from someone who not only teaches me dance but also how to apply the skills learned to be a better person.
I would like to thank the musicians: Deepti Aunty, whose creative inputs and vocals have elevated my performance; Ishmeet and Alaap, who have taught me so much about music and collaboration; Athena Didi, who has supported me in numerous ways, and I have admired since I was a young girl. They have taught me so much about art, and have been so understanding and attentive during this process, it’s an honor to share the stage with them all today.
I would like to thank all the volunteers and the Noorani Dance crew, who have made this show happen tonight. And finally, to my dance sisters, who have put up with me and worked hard to accompany me on stage tonight, their goofiness and laughter have made all the difference during this process. Thank you everyone for your support and blessings on this milestone in my dance journey.
We hope you will consider making a donation to Noorani Dance,
and support our commitment to
enlightening minds and hearts through the arts.
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