: How dancer Sheema Kermani defied Pakistan’s conservatives to infuse her art with activism #IndiaNEWS In Pasoori, the runaway hit music video by Coke Studio, the first shot viewers see is of a grey-haired

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How dancer Sheema Kermani defied Pakistan’s conservatives to infuse her art with activism #IndiaNEWS
In Pasoori, the runaway hit music video by Coke Studio, the first shot viewers see is of a grey-haired woman in a striking yellow sari standing in a high prayer pose. As the music builds, her graceful spin is captured in a tracking shot. In her hair is a glimpse of a red jasmine flower. Her hands rotate slowly, arms rising above and then forming a warm embrace.The woman is Sheema Kermani, 71, one of Pakistan’s leading dancers and choreographers. Over the decades, Kermani has defied rising Islamic conservatism in her country to perform publicly, earning criticism, threats and accolades. She is noted for her efforts to intertwine her art with activism through the activities of the organisation she founded called Tehrik-e-Niswan, or The Women’s Movement. The performing arts, Kermani has said, is “...one of the most important ways to empower people who have less power…who are marginalised�. Over video-conference and email from Karachi, Kermani spoke about her decades-long journey, influences and passion.Kermani, born in Rawalpindi in 1951, initially trained in Karachi under Ghanshyam in Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali and Manipuri. Her early...Read more

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