I never thought I would quote lyrics from The Killers’ song, but after meeting with French kathak dancer Isabelle Anna, seeing her perform and interact with other dancers, I understand the song better; it takes almost super human ability to commit yourself fully to the arts, especially dance. Mind and body have to be exercised constantly while keeping sure you don’t lose your spirit when life disappoints, according to Anna.

The dancer has been blessed since childhood; she was surrounded by music and dance at the age five, at a creative arts centre that her parents managed in France.  The discipline required for ballet and bharatnatyam shaped her focus towards the arts. Along with musical training, she developed an interest in drama, literature and foreign languages that she pursued till university. In 1998, she discovered kathak and went on to join Kathak Kendra, a premier kathak dance institution in New Delhi, and was trained under Pandit Jai Kishan Maharaj.

However, Anna’s interest in kathak goes beyond the stage. “Gypsies from Rajasthan who migrated to Spain highly influenced the culture there, and gave rise to the flamenco dance. It is really interesting to see how much different cultures are actually interconnected,” shared Anna during an interview held at the Alliance Francais, Islamabad.

The dancer’s depth of understanding dance, culture and music is apparent from her performances; but she also has had many doubts about her creative endeavours like any artist. Anna noted that though she was always passionate about dance, she started questioning whether this was something she was pursuing on her own accord or due to the pressure to perform exerted on her since childhood. “It was after being away from dance for a few years, and doing what people will call a ‘real job’ is when I realised how much dance was a part of me and had to be what I did fully,” she said candidly.

The dancer’s depth of understanding dance, culture and music is apparent from her performances. PHOTO: PUBLICITY

Though France is more supportive of its artists than Pakistan, Anna noted that being an artist anywhere has various shortcomings. “Artists and musicians aren’t given much value and are always on the margins of society, but that’s what makes the struggle more genuine because it’s not for monetary gain but for yourself and for those who you can touch with your art,” she explained.

Referring to the maturity that comes with age, the dancer noted that though in dance aging is often seen as a negative thing; she deems that there is no substitute for wisdom and experience. “The more you grow and learn, the more material you have to work within your performances. The more you have to say.”

Anna’s statement was reaffirmed when she met 83-year-old kathak icon Indu Mitha during her master class. “I couldn’t believe that such a magnificent and graceful dancer was in my class. It was really quite overwhelming, something I will cherish my entire life. Though she is so much more senior than me, she was so humble and keen. She truly loves kathak and wants to learn everything about it,” said Anna. Mitha was all praises about Anna as well, and told The Express Tribune that she found the French dancer’s approach meticulous, utterly sublime and refreshing. “What a dancer, what a lady!” exclaimed Mitha.

Amna Mawaz, a student of Mitha, also participated in the master class, and noted that Anna’s style of dance, though traditional, was much more complicated than what she is used to. “It was such a brilliant experience learning from her and learning more about kathak. There are so many complexities in this dance form,” said Mawaz.

With dancers from various ages and walks of life drawing inspiration from each other, one has to think that dance is indeed where art finds embodiment.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th, 2012.

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ISLAMABAD: Millennial Model United Nations (MMUN) 2012’s committee sessions started at the I-9 Millennium Campus on Friday, where students’ knowledge of global issues and problem-solving skills were put to the test.

Speaking about the Disarmament and International Security Committee which was established by the United Nations to serve as a forum to debate disarmament and security in an environment of equality, MMUN secretary General, Umair Khan Marwat noted that while strides have been made for nuclear disarmament, there is concern if the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) regime can ensure international safety.

The issues under discussion were anger exhibited by developing countries at nuclear-armed states’ refusal, including the US, North Korea, India, and Pakistan to ratify the NPT, and the ever-present problem of undeclared nuclear weapons.

The United Nations Human Rights Council focused on the rights of journalists and their role in upholding human rights. Chairperson Maryam Ansari commented, “The media exposes human rights violations and offers an arena for different voices in public discourse the session called for enforcing a code of ethics and self-regulation.

The Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC) focused on Kashmir, a territorial dispute between Pakistan and India that may possibly involve nuclear weapons, terrorism and concerns of international players including the United States and China. By crafting well-thought-out approaches, stakeholders can help to settle this long-standing dispute and prevent further conflict in the region,” said Director CTC Ali Tahir,

As delegates have been participating in MMUN since the past few years, they noted that every year they are confronted with new topics and scenarios that are reflective of the geo-political landscape which keeps them on their toes while thinking about solutions.

At the end of the sessions, the delegates were treated to a performance by Josh, the bhangra fusion band who flew in from Canada specifically for the event as well as rock band Raavish and the beats of DJ Barrister. Saturday will see more committee sessions and the closing ceremony.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 8^th, 2012.

The opening ceremony showcased the global cultural understanding of Model United Nations participants through the Global Village. Though some stalls were well thought out and representatives were well versed in their delegated country, most stalls remained unimpressive.

The stalls of Afghanistan, South Africa, Pakistan and Japan pulled a sizeable crowd. Participants clad in traditional Afghani shalwar kameez, topi, and shawl told The Express Tribune that they will be representing the country in UNDP and UNCHR, and will bring issues of human rights violations, internally-displaced persons and illiteracy to the forefront.

The students were also treated to a concert by the Cuban jazz trio A3. The smooth lyrical styling of trombonist Ariel Jorge Perez’s was refreshing for the teenagers, most of whom had never seen a live jazz performance before. 

PHOTO: MUHAMMAD JAVAID/EXPRESS

“A nation cannot progress with guns and illiteracy. There needs to be a right to democracy and media transparency in the area,” said Abdal Nayar, a student of AS.

The most painstakingly put together stall was that of Japan, and it was clear that ninth graders had made a serious effort to get acquainted with the culture. Dressed in red kimonos they greeted onlookers with a hello in Japanese. Origami, hello kitty hand bags and anime adorned the stall, while a hefty helping of sushi was an added treat.

The African stall. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD JAVAID/EXPRESS

Explaining the model of a Japanese house, Shahwal Saeed, a student, said, “This is a model of a house from Northern Japan, and you can see the roof is slanted just like in the northern areas in Pakistan, so there are cultural similarities.” The students had also prepared a chart that listed numbers in Japanese in case onlookers wanted to learn to count in Japanese.

Earlier, Rashad Daureeawo, Higher Commissioner of Mauritius, encouraged the youth to become agents of change through engagement in public debate on national and international forums. He also emphasised on the significance of individuals and the state and urged students to challenge the status quo through the resolutions and forum debates.

South Asian Strategic Stability Unit Director Maria Sultan briefed the MMUN delegates on the background of the various aspects and significant historical incidents pertinent to nuclear proliferation and disarmament.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 7^th, 2012.

They were speaking during a lively two-hour panel discussion on the BBC documentary “Snow Leopard: Beyond the Myth” at the Animal Sciences Department of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) held in connection with World Conservation Day, on Wednesday .  The documentary has been made by Nisar Malik in northern Pakistan.

“This film tells the snow leopard’s real story, a story of interaction and at times conflict between humans and animals,” said US envoy Richard Olson.  The ambassador announced two new projects for wildlife conservation in Pakistan on the occasion.

The USAID-funded programme with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Snow Leopard Trust that will improve cooperation among Pakistan, Bhutan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Nepal on protecting snow leopards and climate change adaptation in Asia’s high mountains.

This is in addition to the Ambassador’s Fund in Pakistan which will focus on wildlife conservation projects in local communities.

Muhammad Ali Nawaz from the Department of Animal Sciences of the university said, “During our research and conservation project in the northern areas, we put a GPS collar on snow leopards to monitor their movement. Their population ranges from 200 to 400, and their habitat extends over 16,000km, divided between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

In addition to the creature’s endangered status, Nawaz noted, pastoral communities living in the region lose livestock to the snow leopard for which they were working on a compensation system.

“More livestock succumb to disease than snow leopard attacks, that’s why we introduced vaccination to make up for the animals lost to snow leopards, which results in the communities being more tolerant of them,” explained Nawaz.

He said climate change,  scarcity of food and loss of habitat force snow leopards to prey on domesticated animals which highlights the need for conservation.

In a coordinated attempt to give a cub a fighting chance for survival, an orphaned snow leopard, Leo, was handed over to Bronx Zoo in 2006, since it was too young to survive on its own in the wild.

QAU vice-chancellor concluded that wildlife conservation benefits local communities and that the country should divert its attention towards wildlife-related recreation to boost tourism and GDP.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2012.

This was announced on Monday at an event held in connection with the International Day of PWDs at Al-Farabi Special Education Centre. At the event, which was held in collaboration with Special Education Directorate and Helping Hand, the minister committed to ensure the two per cent job quota and other facilities for PWDs are provided. Gondal also announced a Rs50,000 cash award for children with special needs who performed songs and tableaus on stage.

“Society must play its role as a whole to help persons with disabilities as they have ability and talent to excel if they are given the right tools. Education is the most powerful tool a person can have and we need to give this to children with special needs. That is why we will enrol students from the coming session so they have access to an independent life,” said Gondal. Students at the event were excited by the announcement and agreed that with access to facilities, support, and education, they will be able to flourish.

Schoolchildren who participated in the walk. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD JAVAID/ EXPRESS

Al-Farabi Special Education Centre Director Munir Qureshi told The Express Tribune that building schools for children with special needs is extremely pertinent if we are to ensure that PWDs don’t fall in to the vicious cycle of poverty, as such individuals usually remain at the margins of society. “Even if you take our streets as an example, most beggars are disabled in some way. We must make sure that such individuals are given a chance to break out of that way of life,” said Qureshi.

There is a certain amount of controversy attached to disabilities and beggary, as it is believed that many beggars pretend to be disabled for more sympathy, and the more harrowing aspect is that some children are forcibly crippled by their guardians to ensure higher returns. However, Qureshi noted that either way, society’s reaction of pity towards PWDs needs to be replaced by understanding, support and empowerment.

Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal Managing Director Zamrud Khan thanked the minister for allotting a building in I-8 sector for a Pakistan Sweet Home orphanage. He assured the minister of his fullest support to help children with special needs. Senior Joint Secretary Abdul Latif Laghari, Special Education DG Ghayoor Sultana and other senior CAD officials also participated in the event.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 4^th, 2012.

ISLAMABAD: Inspired by the iconic intellectual Omar Khayyam, an artist Irfan Quraishi displayed 35 calligraphic designs at Gallery 6 on Saturday. In addition to Khayyam’s poetry, the collection was unified under the common use of horse in motion, a symbol that signifies a way forward for the artist.

“There is a trend of looking towards the West for icons, but we forget how many great intellects have sprouted from the East. That’s why I focused on Khayyam who is known for his poetry but was a great philosopher, arithmetician and scientist,” said Quraishi.

His previous work focused on the poetry of Rumi, who is arguably still revered more than Khayyam as a poet. Irfan, however, noted though his paintings feature Khayyam’s poetry, he aims to highlight his scientific feats that have been forgotten over time.

The symbol of the horse in motion was present in every painting.

At first glance the paintings seemed dismissively similar, but a closer inspection reveals the artist’s thread of cohesion and story. For instance, the use of the horse in various human endeavours — war, sport, travel and grandeur — reveals poetic human thought and action as the vehicle of progress.

The fanciful horse, the unicorn then becomes the symbol for the infinite and unknown capability of human thought while paying homage to poetry itself, which is the product and process of an elevated spiritual experience.

“There is a dance and rhythm in words, there is a power in them that makes us all react. Understanding the beauty of words is what calligraphy is all about. Khayyam saw the formula in all things, not in a dry sense but a reassuring one, there is after all a golden ratio of human beings also,” said the artist.

The exhibition, in light of Khayyam’s 83rd death anniversary on Tuesday, also featured renditions of the late poet’s Persian and English translated works recited by Osman Qazi.

A mime play directed by Indu Mitha, renowned classical dancer, moved the audience with its sheer simplicity and power. As Mitha narrated, a potter’s tale was revealed who has the ability to make both pristine and distorted artefacts from dirt, signifying the inherent ability in all artists to find beauty in pain and disfigurement.

“There is a story in itself in Indu’s face, there is a dance of expressions and her being lends character to everything she does,” said Kausar Khan, principal of Mazmoon-e-Shauq School.

In true Mitha character, humble and frank, the dancer did not want to shed much light on her work in the play, but then the play spoke for itself with little to no words.

The mime performance also addressed issues such as class divide and poverty: a Brahmin woman is seen shunning an ‘untouchable’ who drinks from her cup.

Then there’s the potter who makes all his creations from the same “mitti” (clay). The clay is transformed once the object takes shape and is in the hands of an individual — the value of the cup is equal to the wealth of the holder. Amidst difference and discrimination, a silver lining is found by Mitha who unifies the pottery and the individuals under the knowledge that we are all made from the same clay.

The exhibition will continue till December 5.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 3^rd, 2012.

Anna is the founder of Kaleidans’Scop, a dance company, and has been learning dance and other art forms since the age of five. The Indo-French government scholar joined Kathak Kendra, a premier kathak dance institution in New Delhi, and trained under Pandit Jai Kishan Maharaj. In 1998, she was initiated to kathak dance by Sharmila Sharma, disciple of the legendary Indian kathak dance exponent, Pandit Birju Maharaj.

Anna’s classical training, precision and grace was showcased in the first section of the performance which adhered to the convention of traditional kathak and symbolist storytelling. However the second part, which relied heavily on Anna’s own interpretation of kathak, and mixed various other dances from Spain, Turkey and Europe, blew the audience away.

“I think Anna’s performance touched and spoke to the audience because she understands that we are all different, but builds a link by embracing and bringing together those differences to make something new that speaks a common language,” said Valeria Khan of Acid Survivors Foundation.

The dancer’s use of Spanish and European music further gave power and diversity to her performance, as her footwork, pronounced by ghungroos worked sometimes with the music, and at times against it for heightened effect.

In addition, Anna has the perfect balance of sound on her feet — she manages to alternate her feet according to the movement to generate a flat thud while maintaining buoyancy. Also the dancer’s footwork was easily audible amidst the jangling of ghungroos and the music, a feat that only comes with years of practice.

Dressed in a simple yet elegant red Turkish gown, Anna’s third last performance stunned audience members as she delivered immaculate spins that blended traditional kathak style with Turkish dance.

As the fabric of her costume wheeled into motion, audience members applauded loudly and one audience member whispered, “Its like her body is unattached to her head, its amazing.”

Though Anna exercised and showed her control over movement, she displayed abandonment and passion during her Bolera (Latin music) inspired number. “Bolera isn’t about control but about feeling the music and responding to it to the point of losing your mind,” Anna told The Express Tribune after the show.

Clad in a black and red subdued Flamenco dress, the dancer showed her diversity and ingenuity for dance as she utilised the slow-building crescendo to communicate her slow descent into spiritual bliss or maddening ablution.

The last number, a kind of ode to France and welcome to Pakistan, was performed on the audience’s insistence. With a rose tucked by her shoulder, Anna showcased the inherent talent in her face as she displayed various emotions.

The performance cued to French music was jovial, flirtatious, coy and yet bold. As Anna threw her rose in to the audience at the end, an audience member commented, “Even though there wasn’t much movement in this one but her facial expressions and gestures were mesmerising.”

Later after the performance, humbled and overwhelmed by the audience’s response, Anna said that her aim was not only to perform for the audience but to have an exchange of feelings and emotions that art can inspire that, she felt, had taken place to her delight.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2012.

This was stated by PSF President Kamran Lashari at the inaugural ceremony of the swimming coaching course at Islamabad Club on Monday.

“Though we have talent in Pakistan, we lack the equipment, techniques and expertise to excel in swimming and other sports, said Lashari. Swimming is not even predominantly recognszed as a sport due to social, economic and religious reasons.”

To hone the skills of 43 participants, famed Indian coach, Pradeep Kumar will be leading the course. Kumar shared that he looked forward to the skill-building experience and hoped that it will be as fruitful as it was four years ago when he visited Pakistan.

Kumar who is at level five, which is the highest, will be teaching new techniques in competitive swimming at level 5 to about 17 women and 26 men, so they can become better coaches.

“The great thing about Kumar is that even though Pakistan and India compete against each other regionally, he coaches Pakistani participants with his whole heart,” said Veena Masud, secretary Pakistan Women’s Swimming Association.

Ayesha Tajwar, 26 and Sana Wahid, 28, coaches from Karachi, said they started swimming when they were 11. “Unfortunately, we don’t always have access to new techniques because of a lack of expertise. That’s why having Kumar here is a real opportunity,” Tajwar shared with The Express Tribune.

I learned variations within the four stroke in competitive swimming along with breathing, arm and kick action, that helped me grow as a swimmer when I took Kumar’s coaching class four years back, she added.

Wahid noted that athletes require a holistic approach to coaching which includes information about nutrition, diet, logistics and training methodology.

Masud said in addition to athletes, teachers and trainers are also participating in the course. “We are actively seeking swimmers who have the intellectual ability to perceive coaching as a science.”

Though Pakistan does not have international standing as yet in swimming, Lashari believes the sport has made important strides on a national level. He announced the federation’s intention to host an international swimming championship in Islamabad around mid January.

The course will be in session from November26 to December 2 at Islamabad Club, and was organised by Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) and International Olympic Committee (IOC) in collaboration with Pakistan Sports Federation.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27^th, 2012. 

Titled “Sang Ras” (the essence of the mountains), the book was launched at National Language Authority (NLA) to a packed audience on Friday, despite the author being stranded in Quetta and the security threat surrounding Muharram 8.

Renowned author Fateh Muhammad Malik, all praise for the book, noted that as writers mature, they are more mindful of articulating their experience into self-expression.

“Maybe that’s because we know the clock is ticking,” he said with a grin.

Harris Khalique, writer and poet, attributed Sarwar’s literary ingenuity partly to his profession as a geologist. He commended how the author has presented and analysed the Muslim world, without prejudice but with a discerning and wide lens.

“Sarwar went on Hajj last year. Though religious pilgrimage should be a spiritual voyage and ablution, he has seen the capitalistic and materialistic aspect attached to Hajj which he understands and shows aptly,” said Khalique, while reading an excerpt from the author’s friends, Muhammad Ali Najfi and Muhammad Hussain, whom the book is dedicated to.

Muhammad Ali Farshi, poet, coined the term “back-benchers of literature”, referring to the poets who don’t go down in the canon as pioneers. “Not everyone can be Ghalib, but the smaller trees are necessary to make the jungle,” he said.

Farshi along with Javed lamented the loss of a generation and culture that was literary by nature such as that found from 1955 to 1965, a generation that spoke in lyrical tongues and emulated the romance of ghazal. They deemed Sarwar as being one of the few last individuals that still embody that quality, which is teetering on extinction.

Ahmed Javed, academic, also noted that the book is in no way the nostalgia of a poor country as may seem on first glance. On deeper inspection, he said, the book is actually a love letter to the scent of Pakistani soil. As Sarwar has lived and worked abroad, his grasp on portraying Pakistani culture as an expatriate was also commended.

As a concluding remark, Malik said, “I haven’t gotten the chance to read the book yet, but after hearing the feedback of my peers, I can’t wait to have a dialogue with this work tonight.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2012.

The Pakistan Baitul Mal (PBM) — which manages Pakistan Sweet Homes — currently looks after around 3,000 orphans in 28 such centres across the country, PBM Managing Director (MD) Zamurd Khan said during the inauguration ceremony of the hostel.

Decorated with balloons and banners, the colourful opening ceremony featured the children showing off their talents as they sang nursery rhymes and naats.

However, the ceremony was criticised by a few audience members. Shahana, a public school teacher, commented that the stage was too low and that the children’s performances were not visible to people in the back rows.

Prominent figures at the event included National Assembly members Usman Ibrahim and Munira Shakir, Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Chairperson Shaheen Khan, and NAVTEC Chairman Adnan Khawaja.

Although the master of ceremonies (MC) urged the audience repeatedly to show appreciation for the performances of the children to boost their self-confidence, most audience members including the prominent figures seated at the podium did not initially applaud the children. Fortunately, by the end of the ceremony, the audience had warmed to the performances.

The children — dressed in colourful cardboard hats with stars, alphabets, spiders, lambs and crescents cut outs — showed great enthusiasm.

Some of the performances that stood out were Mardan-born first grader Shah Faisal’s speech on terrorism. He said that with terrorism claiming the lives of men and women, many children will become orphaned like him, and not having access to education will make them vulnerable to extremist groups.

Nursery student Khurram received the warmest applause from the audience for his speech on the importance of teachers and education.

“The children were scared and very shy when they first came to us, and seeing them getting up in front of such a large audience and performing is testament to how important this initiative is,” said Bushra Tareen, principal of the newly-established school. She said that though the building is still under construction, the children, who have been living here for two months, are feeling at home.

Barrister Abid Waheed has adopted 140 of these children and taken responsibility for funding their housing, education and other basic needs for the next 14 years. He took this step a year back when he realised the dire state these children are in.

“It is not fair for a child to be deprived of a parent’s love, shelter and education. If we do not take care of these children, we can’t blame them when they become a burden on society. It is our duty,” Waheed told The Express Tribune.

The event concluded with four-year-old Mujahid singing a heartfelt song “Mother don’t cry” in Urdu, which touched the audience and encapsulated the despair of these children, who must grow up without the security provided by parents.

But, with this programme, they may just have a fighting chance.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2012.