“A society that has no music, no dance, no festivity, is bound to collapse and pave ways for violence”- Momina Farooq Khan

interview

Momina Farooq Khan is a dedicated Classical dancer with 14 years of experience in Kathak, a traditional form of dance. Brought up in Lahore, she began her journey under the guidance of renowned dancer Nahid Siddiqui and later expanded her learning with Bina Jawad at Harsukh. Momina has done her Bachelor’s from BNU (Beaconhouse National University) in Cultural Studies (Honours) and then she went for her postgraduate studies to SOAS, University of London for a two-year Intensive programme in South Asian Studies. During her postgraduate studies at SOAS, University of London, Momina focused on the role of Kathak in Pakistan, blending her academic work with her passion for dance. While in London, she also explored Flamenco, which added depth to her dance practice. Upon returning to Pakistan, she further enriched her skills through workshops with respected artists like Fasih Ur Rehman and Suhaee Abro.

In addition to performing, Momina is committed to teaching. She has taught classical dance at several branches of Lahore Grammar School (LGS) and The Learning Alliance and has conducted workshops at various institutions. She is also involved in a community theatre collective that works to preserve literature in local languages.

Through her work, Momina aims to create an immersive experience that highlights the rich cultural traditions of Pakistan. She believes in exploring these traditions not just to preserve them, but to inspire new ways forward. Currently, she is refining her skills under the mentorship of Sujata Bannerjee, a Kathak Maestro based in London. In an exclusive interview with You! Momina talks about her journey and her incessant love for Kathak dance as a medium of expression. Read on…

Tell us about your early years?

I was an extremely shy child; at the same time, I was very expressive with my body language. Since the onset, I can remember I loved to dance. I remember I was hardly three or two years old and I would listen to these Bollywood songs on T.V. and go outside in my old house in Faisalabad and start dancing and I would dance for hours. I used to stammer, so I found solace in expressing myself through music and dancing to express varied emotions.

What inspired you to become a classical dancer?

I fell in love with dancing at an early age; it became my sacred space and I would always come home from school and just start practicing and working on improving my dance moves that I had seen on television. I found it really difficult to fit in school because of my stammering but dance gave me that space to just create my own world through my imagination.

Kathak was taught at our school, but due to my overprotective father I couldn’t muster the courage to enroll myself to learn the basics. However as soon as I finished my A levels and I turned 18, I found the guts to take permission from my father and went to Nahid Siddiqui and became her disciple. The rest is history.

What makes you involved in community theatre?

I am engaged in community theatre; dealing with socialist feminist theatre and performance art in vernacular languages - my theatre teacher is Miss Huma Safdar. All these are ways for me to take my art form forward and through performances stir up a dialogue. It is a way for me to give back to our people what has been taken away from them; to bring back the culture of performance art, classical dance and music to our people. A society that has no music, no dance, no festivity, is bound to collapse and pave ways for violence.

What do you love most about dancing?

We live in a patriarchal society that tells women to hide themselves and be timid - women internalise all of that and carry huge amounts of shame - dancing subverts all of that. Dancing in a female body in itself, is a rejection of all that. That is why I love doing community theatre; it makes one go out there to engage with the masses and stir up a dialogue through emotion and affect.

What is your favourite style of dance?

I am primarily a trained Kathak dancer but while I was in London I took extensive workshops on Flamenco, Bharat Natyam and Odissi. I have performed a fusion of contemporary with Kathak, or folk. However, my training is rooted in Classical Kathak, Lucknow Gharana.

What’s your greatest strength as a dancer?

Dance is a language and becomes our voice; once you hone it, you can improvise anything and everything on the spot as well. I love the freedom it gives us, to allow ourselves to instinctively use our body to tell various stories. I love the ability to do impromptu and improvised performances when required.

Who are your favourite classical dancers?

Nahid Siddiqui, she has been my ustad and mentor and she is phenomenal. I also love Parul Shah, she lives in New York, I love the way she combines Kathak with contemporary dance. Besides them, I absolutely adore Sujata Bannerjee and Sheema Kirmani.

Tell us about your most recent performance…

I recently performed with The Colony, a multidiscipline art house in Lahore, in their play, ‘Layla Majnu’ - fusion of Bollywood with Kathak.

What has been your most career-defining moment that you are proud of?

My most career-defining moment came when I performed at the Habib Jalib Festival, Alhamra, Lahore. I had the opportunity to showcase a play that blended classical Kathak with contemporary themes, and it really resonated with the audience. Seeing people connect emotionally with my performance was incredibly fulfilling. It felt like I was not just dancing, but telling a story that mattered. That moment reaffirmed my belief in the power of dance to inspire and provoke thought, and it motivated me to continue sharing this art form with others.

Could you name a woman who has inspired you the most?

Bina Jawad. After Nahid Siddiqui, I went to Bina Jawad in 2014 to learn the intricacies of Kathak and I fell in love with the way she taught this art form! She would always say that classical dance is about ‘self-awareness’; it makes us in sync with our intuition. She has been taking Kathak forward by continuously teaching at different schools and not giving up despite confronting societal and administrative issues.

Another one is Huma Safdar. She is an art and drama teacher at Lahore Grammar School. She is also the organiser of the street theatre collective - that I participate in. I am in absolute awe of her; I admire her commitment with her work.

Do you think the general mindset of our society is changing towards classical dance?

There is a lot of misrepresentation about classical dance in our society. So, what people know about classical dance is all glamourised; they are acquainted to quite a Bollywood version of classical dance forms which is actually not true. Classical dance represents history, culture and techniques that have been passed down through generations and each generation has added to it. Classical dance forms require continuous riyaaz, it’s something that you get trained in and then you take it forward.

I faced many issues in most schools I taught in; societal issues, parents had issues with their girls performing on stage, some did not want their girls to learn Kathak because of the stigmatisation of the art form associated with the courtesan culture.

That being said, we are working towards raising awareness about South Asian classical dance forms with proper technique and repertoire. As long as we are doing it, there is always hope.

What does a typical day look like for you?

It really depends on the work I have at the moment. For the past four to five years, I was teaching at different schools, so I would get up early in the morning and be at school till 1:30 pm and then have evening riyaaz, theatre or music classes.

These days I am focusing more on my learning, simultaneously working on my vocals and theatre reading and writing. And I am currently offering Kathak Dance Classes (Classical and Semi Classical) at Olomopolo Studio, Lahore.

How do you unwind?

I enjoy reading, food, movies and a cup of coffee alone.

What is your most treasured possession?

Dance and theatre. Don’t have a tangible thing; for me it’s always been dance!

What keeps you going?

My commitment to my work - to bring classical dance and theatre performances to the people and telling stories through dance and drama.

What advice would you give to aspiring classical dancers?

I would tell them to keep practicing, focus on the art form and perform as much as you can. Because it is performance art and it is there to be performed so that it can reach to other people and stir something inside of them.

What is your ultimate dream?

My dream has always been to dance and perform all around the world; to work and raise awareness about classical dance and theatre and bring more stories for everyone.

Photo credits: Atiya Khan