In connection with World Dance Day, You! talks to ace performer Sheema Kermani as well as, Tabitha Simrin and Zahshanné Malik, two upcoming artists…
world dance day
Every year, millions of dancers around the globe celebrate ‘World Dance Day’ on 29 April. Initiated in 1982 and coordinated by International Dance Council CID (Conseil International de la Danse), UNESCO, the main purpose is to attract the attention of the wider public to the art of dance.
Dancing is universal - woven into virtually every society all over the world. Humans simply love dance. It brings us together whether we are the ones on the dance floor or are watching the professional performance of others. It is exhilarating and impressive. Dance is an art form that has been around for centuries, and it is one of the most widely practiced forms of physical expression. It is a way to express emotions and tell stories. It can also be used to celebrate culture, tell a story, or simply bring joy to those who participate. Dance day provides an opportunity to celebrate the power of dance and its ability to bring people together. It is a day to recognise the beauty of dance and appreciate its importance in our lives.
Let’s honour the world of dance by talking to a few amazing women who have been pushing forward the art of dancing in Pakistan…
One of Pakistan’s leading dancers and choreographers is undoubtedly Sheema Kermani, who needs no introduction after her praiseworthy performance in the popular song ‘Pasoori’. But this passion for dance did start somewhere, from where it led to her becoming a renowned performer. “I do remember that as a very young girl, I would love to put on music and dance to it. However, I started learning classical dance and going to dance classes from the age of 13. I initially trained with Mr and Mrs Ghanshyam for over a period of 15 years, till I went to India to acquire further training. For more than 3 years, I trained there with some of the most famous Gurus of classical dance. I studied Bharatanatyam under Guru Leela Samson, Odissi under Gurus Mayadhar Raut and Aloka Pannikar and Kathak under Guru Ram Mohan. I received a scholarship from the Indian Council of Cultural Relations,” she relays.
A career spanning over many years, Kermani has made some courageous and contentious steps in her career to get the medium of performance where it is today. “I was the very first person in Pakistan who started celebrating World Dance Day. This day was declared in 1982 and my first celebration was in 1983. Since then, I have been celebrating it regularly to promote and raise awareness about the art of dance among the public. For me, every day is a celebration of life and thus a celebration of dance and I will be dancing to celebrate the day, as well,” she reveals.
She believes that dancing is not just limited to entertainment but is known to be therapeutic, not only for mental health but for all purposes of a healthy being. “There are many students of mine for whom dance has worked as an amazing healing process. One such person was herself a doctor who was suffering from some serious life endangering illness. I am told that her life was given an extra stimulus through her dance classes with me,” she reminisces.
All over the world the art form of dance is hugely admired, appreciated and held in great respect as a very important aspect and element of civilised societies. “The art form of dance has been there for centuries in the sub-continent and is an inherent part of the heritage and culture of this area. But in Pakistan, dance as well as all other performing arts have always been looked down upon and are considered as taboo subjects. This is a huge tragedy for Pakistan and I do believe that unless we change the social and cultural attitudes towards arts and artist we as a society cannot move forward,” she asserts.
Through the medium of dance one can say, express and convey any emotion that one wants - one can sway people to believe and to take action. And Kermani is no stranger to making statements through her performances. “I can never forget the day in December 1988, when after 12 long years of cultural repression of General Zia-ul-Haq’s military dictatorship, people had voted for their new representatives. The streets of Karachi were jam packed with people dancing in the streets, yes dancing and dancing with joy - people of all ages, of all classes expressing their freedom and their liberty in rhythmic movement, in dance!”
Having believed and lived in the power of dance, she is of the opinion that dancing should be inculcated in our lives in one way or another. “Dancing holds the most power that any art form can boast of. It is the mother of all arts. I feel that it is important to include dance in our educational institutions and our school curricula. This will encourage the youth towards a holistic healthy personality and an attitude of tolerance and love and harmony. Just as one loves life and one loves living, similarly I love dance,” she exclaims.
Over the years, the medium of dancing has become less critiqued, and though still not accepted by the masses, has emerged as a popular art form with many young artists averting this route. One of them being Tabitha Simrin, who has been tapping her feet away since kindergarten. “I have always loved dance as far as I remember. I used to participate in all school dance programmes and my teachers always used to make me stand in front (because I danced well). As I grew up, I started choreographing dance performances for family functions and weddings and that is when the love started budding,” she expresses.
Since then, Tabitha has been unstoppable and has been part of many events including performing for the opening of Karachi Literature Festival with Sheema Kermani, who she also receives training from in the classical dance form. “I have always loved dancing. I have a distinct memory of when I went to see a live performance of a Kathak dancer which is when I made up my mind that is what I want to do. I started researching about classical dancers in Karachi and that is when I found out about Sheema Kermani’s dance classes. I started in 2020 and I’m still learning from her. I can feel that my passion for dance is growing day by day,” she states.
Tabitha thinks that dance is a powerful tool to inspire change and make a positive impact on individuals and communities, as she transformed into a calmer, poised and composed person through dance. According to her, slowly and steadily, dancing will receive more recognition from the Pakistani audience. “I believe dancing is an established art form in Pakistan, we also have a rich cultural heritage of traditions and folk dances that are deeply rooted in our history. But it is highly underrepresented, and as an upcoming dancer my concern is that there are limited opportunities here and I can’t completely depend on it financially. I see that dancers in Pakistan are forced to keep a low profile, probably because it’s not accepted openly by the people here. Social and cultural norms, religious beliefs, and conservative attitudes towards dance sometimes restrict its practice and acceptance, particularly for female dancers. Despite these challenges, dance continues to be a significant and cherished part of Pakistan’s cultural heritage and artistic expression,” she opines.
But she’s hopeful about the future and wants to keep on dancing and pursuing her passion. “I am ready to give all my time to dance, just waiting for the right opportunities to unfold. I want to portray dancing in a positive light here in Pakistan so more people can be part of it. I aspire to be a part of the change and contribute to creating increased opportunities for dancers, while elevating it as a respected and recognised profession and art form. I strongly believe that media can play a really important role in elevating dance form as a respected art in Pakistan,” she contends.
Theatre artist, dancer, actress, choreographer and director, Zahshanné Zehra Malik, wears more feathers in her cap than one can count. “I started Kathak classes at the age of 4, and was performing on stage professionally by the age of 6. I’ve always been in dance classes from a young age. My training was predominately in Kathak until I moved to Canada at the age of 18 and was introduced to different dance styles such as hip hop, jazz, and contemporary. I have since then been training in all styles, including heels and even dancehall and afro beats. I still spend most of my free time training and try to take as many classes as I can while travelling. I’ve taken classes all over the world and learnt from some of the best dancers in places like London, New York and LA,” she elucidates.
For Zahshanné, dancing helped her in more ways than one as she was born with a disability in her hip and it was imperative that she stay active. “My parents being theatre artists themselves chose to put me into dance class, and even when the teachers quit, I never did. I went from one class to the next and never left. Our house was always full of artists, rehearsals every night and music playing 24 hours a day, this ensured that my passion never died,” she recounts.
Zahshanné finds inspiration from many people around her, like a choreographer from LA named JoJo Gomez, and while her love for dance is unwavering - she has also been questioned regarding her unique pathway. “I have been met with lots of confusion and curiosity when I say that dance is my profession, not many seem to understand how that could be so. I was also ridiculed a few times by strangers who heard I was studying theatre in my undergrad. But what I love most about dancing is performing, and what I love about performing is how it’s an art of expression while simultaneously used as a tool for connection. Dancing makes me feel powerful. When I dance, I am in touch with my emotions and I get to make others feel how I want them to feel and I think both those things are very powerful.
“No day is complete without a little dance. Whether it’s alone in your bedroom or time in the studio, every day is Dance Day for me,” she concludes.
The writer is a reporter and subeditor at You! Magazine. She can be reached at wallia_khairi@hotmail.com
