PUBLISHED BY IN DANCE

Kathak’s Rhythmic Journey of Emotion

Women of influence from around the world have made significant achievements over the centuries; yet, the stories of their triumphs are often overlooked. Fortunately, proponents of some lesser told historic events dedicate themselves to bringing these stories to light through their art. In honor of International Women’s Day this March Kathak artist Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, founder of Noorani Dance, will present The Forgotten Empress, the story of seventeenth century Empress Noor Jahan, the most influential Indian woman of her time. The forthcoming production conceived, choreographed, and danced by Shaikh, will be performed on two Bay Area stages in late February and early March with exuberant theatrics, live music, and multimedia. The Forgotten Empress first premiered in Lahore, Pakistan in 2017, in the very city where Empress Noor Jahan is laid to rest.

The Forgotten Empress is the fascinating true story of Empress Jahan, a rare, brilliant, and gifted empress of many talents. Empress Jahan attained unprecedented equal power and authority to her emperor husband for a time, essentially becoming the de facto ruler of the Mughal Empire while her husband presumably dealt with alcoholism and opium addiction.

Discerningly well versed in the complex gestural language of Kathak, after performing with Chitresh Das Dance Company for many years, Shaikh found her own artistic vision through stories of history, politics, and social relevance. She says, “I believe I’m drawn to these topics because they move me personally due to my family history and being a Muslim woman dancing this form, and especially now that I work so frequently in Pakistan. However, I also feel a sense of responsibility in using my privilege as an American to shed light on these topics through the medium that has been gifted to me. I’m also a proponent of learning from our past to inform our present and change our future – for the better.”

Full story posted here: https://dancersgroup.org/2020/02/kathaks-rhythmic-journey-of-emotion/

The Forgotten Empress, Hammer Theatre Center, San Jose, Feb 28 and 29 at 7:30 pm
and Z Space, SF, March 5 and 6 at 7:30 pm
nooranidance.com

This article appeared in the March 2020 issue of In Dance.