Aqsaam-e-Naach: Andaaz-e-Kathak Brings Classical Dance to Karachi Stage

Sobia Khan

Karachi: Aqsaam-e-Naach: Andaaz-e-Kathak, a two-day Kathak dance presentation, is set to take the stage at the Karachi Arts Council on 13 and 14 February, with performances beginning at 8:00 pm on both evenings. The production celebrates the discipline, grace, and expressive depth of Kathak, one of South Asia’s most sophisticated classical dance forms.

Choreography and Performers

Choreographed by renowned Kathak maestro Mohsin Babar, the show features 12 dancers, all scholarship students from Babar’s Kathak School of Performing Arts, Karachi’s first dedicated Kathak academy. These performers represent years of rigorous training and immersion in the classical tradition.

The programme comprises eight pieces, combining group compositions and solo performances. Audiences can expect a mix of classical repertoire and interpretive works, including fusion tarana, ghazal, and other stylistic variations, providing a layered and immersive experience of Kathak’s versatility.

“One of the main aims of this show is to break the taboos surrounding dance, especially the ghungroo,” Babar said. “The ghungroo is simply the dancer’s instrument, just as the tabla nawaz has the tabla.”

Promoting Kathak Across Pakistan

Through Aqsaam-e-Naach, Babar continues his mission to preserve and promote Kathak, an art form increasingly underrepresented in mainstream cultural spaces. His school offers full scholarships to deserving students who wish to pursue Kathak through the traditional lineage system but lack access to formal training.

Babar’s vision extends beyond urban centres. He actively tours small towns and rural areas, bringing classical dance to audiences who rarely encounter it live. His previous productions, including Khwaab, reached over 50,000 people across six Sindh cities, while community theatre projects like Soch Badlen, Zindagi Sawarein engaged villagers on social themes such as family planning and women’s rights.

Tickets and Patronage

Tickets for Aqsaam-e-Naach are priced at Rs 1,500 and available online via Townevent or at the venue. The show is patronised by Naween Mangi, a writer, social entrepreneur, and advocate for performing arts and rural development.

About Mohsin Babar

Mohsin Babar is a leading Kathak dancer and choreographer with 27 years of experience. Trained under Pakistan’s pioneering kathakar Ustaad Hamid Hussain Shaad Jaipuri and later at India’s National School of Drama under Ustaad Rajendra Ganganni, Babar has also studied contemporary dance in Germany and Pakistan’s folk traditions.

He is known for preserving the integrity of Kathak while making it accessible to contemporary audiences. As founder and director of the Kathak School of Performing Arts, he continues to train underprivileged students, ensuring the art form thrives across generations.