Saabit Qadam

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SAABIT QADAM - PERSEVERANCE

A full length performance of dance, music and multimedia, by Farah Yasmeen Shaikh & Noorani Dance Company, Ishami Dance Company, and violist Rizwan Jagani - exploring the politics of identity through the lens of art and artists in Pakistan.

As we witness the world around us, and the rich cultures and artistic practices that are often impacted by forced migration, and the inception of human made borders, we honor the art and artists who have persevered in such circumstances.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR'S NOTE:

As a child, various genres of Pakistani music flowed through my home in California - on records, cassette tapes, eventually cd’s. Attending concerts in the San Francisco Bay Area of living legends felt magical, and when in Pakistan, the joy of seeing them in that environment felt even more surreal. Little did I know the impact that the music, and more so, the artists behind the music, would have on me into my adulthood.

Undoubtedly, this exposure to the music of Pakistan, and of South Asia in general, is what connected me to the arts of South Asia, eventually leading me to my now almost 30 year journey with Kathak.

Since 2015, I have been sharing my artistry, and love for Kathak in Pakistan.What once seemed like a dream - to be able to perform and teach in the country where my parents grew up, met, fell in love and married, and from where so much of my childhood musical influence stems - has now become not just a part of my "work", but truly a part of my heARTistry.

Over the years, my time in Pakistan became less about what I could share, and transformed into an awakening to more deeply understanding the history of Pakistan since its inception, and the impact on the art and artists of Pakistan.

There was a time that art was thriving as a way of forming a new identity, when dance and music were embraced in the daily fabric of society, and profound poetry was embedded into the hearts and minds of multiple generations. It all came crashing down in the late 70's when Zia-ul-Haq took over, and banned the public display of artists and their art. Many artists either went "underground", left the country, or were jailed or threatened for often using their art as the mode of activism against the military dictatorship that worked so hard to suppress their voices.

Saabit Qadam - Perseverance is our humble way of honoring the artists of Pakistan - highlighting some that have been of great influence to me personally, from childhood to present day. Whether their work was steeped in activism or not, they have persevered throughout decades, to develop, reclaim, and celebrate their artistry, and that of their history and culture - shared with many across various borders.

Let this performance be an example of the power and potential of the arts, and a tribute to those who held steadfast in their commitment - even in adverse conditions - to those who in present day also continue to do the same.

May this remind all of us that our artistic traditions are at the heart of our culture and history, and that this should never be taken away from any of us.

Program Guide

Pre performance by Rizwan Jagani, joined by Noorani Dance Company & Ishami Dance Company

TU JHOOM

Tribute to Abida Parveen

Performed & choreographed by

Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, Ishika Seth, Amit Patel

TRAIN VIGNETTES
Reflecting on the impact of the 1947 Partition, through the perspective of those who journeyed on trains across newly made borders.

Performed by Noorani Dance Company & Ishami Dance Company
Storytellers: Chanpreet Singh, Deepti Warrier,

Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, Sheherazaad

Choreography: Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, Ishika Seth & Amit Patel

SUBH E AZAADI - DAWN OF FREEDOM

Tribute to Faiz Ahmed Faiz

Performed by Farah Yasmeen Shaikh & Ishami Dance Company

Music: Raaginder - composer & violi, Deepti Warrier - vocals, Rajvinder Singh - tabla

Choreography: Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, Ishika Seth & Amit Patel

KESARIYA BALAM

Tribute to Mehdi Hasan

Performed by Noorani Dance Company: Esha Gupta, Aishi Rao, Malavika Sajikumar, Riya Savla

Music: Shehroze Hussain - vocals, harmonium & sitar,

Yousuf Kerai - tabla, Farah Yasmeen Shaikh - recitation & manjira
Choreography: Farah Yasmeen Shaikh

KAL CHAUDHVIN KI RAAT THI

Written by Pakistani Urdu poet, Ibn E Inshah

Performed by Noorani Dance Company:

Ragini Kaur Momi (harmonium, vocals & dance), Aishi Rao, Shivani Sawai, Malavika Sajikumar, Nupur Gunjan, Arshiya Vohra,

Sharanya Padmanabhan, Ayana Rao

Choreography: Farah Yasmeen Shaikh

AAJ JAANE KI ZID NA KARO

Tribute to Farida Khanum

Performed by: Farah Yasmeen Shaikh & Ishami Dance Company

Music: Rizwan Jagani - viola, Ragini Kaur Momi - harmonium & vocals, Sharanya Padmanabhan - vocals

Choreography: Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, Ishika Seth, Amit Patel

PAYAL MEIN GEET HAIN

Tribute to Iqbal Bano

Performed by: Farah Yasmeen Shaikh & Noorani Dance Company
Music: Ben Kunin - sarod, Raaginder - violin, Nilan Chaudhuri - tabla & recitation, Deepti Warrier - vocals, Farah Yasmeen Shaikh - recitation

Choreography: Farah Yasmeen Shaikh

AAJ RANG HAI

Tribute to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

Performed by: Farah Yasmeen Shaikh,

Noorani Dance Company, Ishami Dance Company

Music: Raaginder - violin, Nilan Chaudhuri - tabla, Deepti Warrier - vocals, Surtaal Singh - vocals, Ragini Kaur Momi - harmonium,

Farah Yasmeen Shaikh - recitation

Choreography: Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, Ishika Seth, Amit Patel

HUM DEKHENGE

Tribute to Faiz Ahmed Faiz & Iqbal Bano

Performed by: Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, Noorani Dance Company, Ishami Dance Company & Rizwan Jagani
Music: Rizwan Jagani
Choreography: Farah Yasmeen Shaikh

Artists & Performers

FARAH YASMEEN SHAIKH

Artistic Director, Choreographer & Lead Artist

Farah is an international Kathak dance artist, choreographer, instructor, and Founder/Artistic Director of Noorani Dance - a non profit cultural arts organization, with a performing dance company and dance school. A TEDx speaker, and podcast host of Heartistry, Farah’s work has received support from numerous funding institutions. Internationally, Farah regularly performs and teaches throughout Pakistan.

More about Farah

NOORANI DANCE COMPANY

Founded 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.

COMPANY DANCERS:

Esha Gupta, Aishi Rao, Ragini Kaur Momi, Shivani Sawai, Malavika Sajikumar, Riya Savla, Nupur Gunjan, Arshiya Vohra, Sharanya Padmanabhan, Ayana Rao

More about Noorani Dance Company

ISHAMI DANCE COMPANY

A South Asian Contemporary dance company who's mission is to bring diverse voices, stories and histories of the South Asian diaspora forward and dismantle social and cultural constructs.

COMPANY DANCERS:

Amit Patel, Ishika Seth, Drasti Mody, Ekta Doshi, Divya Empranthiri, Saffat Al-Mansoor, Sanjana Karketta

More about Ishami Dance Company

RIZWAN JAGANI

A professional violist and educator of Indian and Pakistani heritage, Rizwan calls himself the “new-fit” violist due to his diverse career of many genres and styles in his performance. His most recent highlight was performing with Grammy Award-winning Afrobeats artist, Burna Boy, in his Washington DC tour concert. He is currently finishing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Catholic University of America.

More about Rizwan Jagani

Staff & Volunteers

Saabit Qadam Production Team:

Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, Artistic Director

Colin Johnson, Production Manager & Lighting Designer

Gavin Tolentino, Sound & Video Support

Akhil Joondeph, Project Manager & Sound/Video Designer

Noorani Dance Administrative Staff:

Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, Founder & Director

Lakshmi Ravi, School Director

Bhumi Patel, Development Manager

Trisha Chhaganlal, Marketing Manager

Rabia Meghani, Special Projects Manager

Ishika Seth, Company Manager

Shubhra Mathur, Administrative Manager

Maha Sami, Administrative Assistant

Noorani Dance School Teaching Staff:

Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, Lead Instructor

Ragini Kaur Momi, Instructor

Teaching Assistants: Malavika Sajikumar, Riya Savla, Ayana Rao, Simone Verma, Aziza Noor Shaikh, Anoushka Rathi

Board of Directors:

Arti Dusane Rao, President

Pallavi Mittal, Secretary & Treasurer

Uma Menon, Huma Hamid, Sana Hoda Sood, Manisha Badola,

Farah Yasmeen Shaikh

Advisory Board:

Somya Chauhan, Iram Parveen Bilal, Antara Bhardwaj, Sonya Pelia, Najma Noorani, Anjali Rao

Saabit Qadam Costuming:

Farah & Noorani Dance Company:

Jhalak & Khanz Designs

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.

Saabit Qadam - Persevernance has been funded in part by

Gerbode Foundation and National Endowment of the Arts.

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 Arts Commission, Alliance for California Traditional Arts, Dancers Group, Walter & Elise Haas Fund, New England Foundation for the Arts,

Zellerbach Family Foundation and SVCreates.

GRATITUDE & DEDICATION

In addition to the support from our donors, funders, volunteers, and our amazing Noorani Dance community, we extend a special note of gratitude to the family of Farah Yasmeen Shaikh.

First and foremost, Farah's parents - Najma and Amjad Noorani; her husband and daughter, Salim and Aziza Noor; her siblings - Ali, Zeba and Sophia, and their partners - Toya, Rusty and Babu; and the village of support from friends and extended family. Each of you are the foundation to so much of what Noorani Dance is able to dream up and achieve.

Saabit Qadam is dedicated to the everlasting memory of Farah's father, Amjad Noorani. His own love for music and the arts has been a profound influence on Farah since childhood, and this project would literally not exist without his inspiration and guidance in the early phases of Saabit Qadam - Perseverance, and throughout Farah's Kathak journey.

Dad - this one is for you. Thank you for always guiding me towards hope and enlightenment. May we bring that to others through this project. - your Fullo Baby