Pakistan’s
First National Dance Festival organized by Rafi Peer Theatre
Workshop was made possible by the generosity of the Royal Norwegian
Embassy in Pakistan. In order to establish a strong effective
presence of Dance in Pakistan, it was necessary to bring together
the few professional choreographers/dancers in the country.
It was perceived that such a Dance Festival would put before
the public (in the three major cities of Pakistan) dance, not
only as mere entertainment but also as a pure art form, celebrating
the differences of style of each choreographer.
There being no patron of dance in Pakistan or
cultural forums specifically set up to present Dance, each choreographer
has been struggling in isolation. It was envisaged that the
National Dance Festival would help promote Pakistan’s
reputation in the cultural field, and would be an opportunity
to acknowledge the work of these choreographers/dancers who
have continued to strive in the harshest of landscapes. It was
hoped that interaction between choreographers and the chance
of seeing each others work may also give rise to exciting cooperation
in the future.
Acknowledgement was due to the Royal Norwegian
Embassy in Pakistan for funding the National Dance Festival.
Their interest came at a crucial time for the preservation of
Dance in Pakistan initiated by Tehreema Mitha, Indu Mitha and
Aabvaan Barron of Tehreema Aabvaan Dance Productions.