Amna Mawaz Khan

Amna Mawaz Khan (Urdu: آمنہ مواز خان‎, Born: July 22, 1989) is a Pakistani classical dancer of Bharatnatyam, theatre artist, feminist and political worker. She is founding member of Women Democratic Front.[1][2]

Amna Mawaz Khan
آمنہ مواز خان
Born
Amna Mawaz Khan
NationalityPakistani
OccupationDancer, Activist
Known forBharatnatyam dancer

Early life and Education

Khan was born in Rawalpindi on 22 July 1989. She got her early education from Khaldunia High School, Islamabad. She completed her bachelors in arts from University of the Punjab. She studied Masters in Pakistan Studies in 2013 from National Institute of Pakistan Studies, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad.

Bharatanatyam Dance

Khan began classical dance learning at the age of 11 from renowned dancer Indu Mitha in her school, Mazmoon-e-Shauq[3] and learnt from her for 11 years.[1][4] After that, she started teaching dance for six years. Khan also did a short course in contemporary dance and choreography from Trinity Laban Conservatoire in Greenwich, London, England.[2][5]

From 2016 to 2018, Khan worked as dance instructor and head choreographer of the permanent dance ensemble, the National Performing Arts Group, at the Pakistan National Council of Arts, Islamabad.[6] Khan aims to preserve this rare classical dance in the country and pass the art on to others.[7][8]

Khan has also learnt and explored Kathak, Uday Shankar's style of dance and Pakistani folk dances. She has performed[9] and given workshops[10] across Pakistan as well as in America,[11] China, India, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.[2] She has performed on various occasions with Tehreema Mitha (daughter of Indu Mitha), who is also a renowned classical dancer, living in USA.[12][13][9] Khan has performed her dance in many art[14] and literature festivals.[15][16][17] Khan was featured in a documentary "How She Moves" which was displayed in Portland Film Festival.[2]

Theatre Artist

Khan is a peace and social activist and a feminist.[18][19] She helped in making of the socialist, progressive art collective Laal Hartaal. She performed on various occasions with members of Laal Hartaal in Women Marches, Student Marches and Art festivals.[20][21][22]

Khan often works with the Pakistan National Council of the Arts, Theatrewallay and Kuch Khaas in their creative productions.[23][24]

She is a member of the Magdalena Project which facilitates support and training to cross-cultural network of women’s theatre and performance.[25]

Political Worker

Khan is also a left wing political worker. Her activism began in 2007, during the emergency imposed under dictatorship, she was a student then. She mobilized students for protest demonstrations, wrote, acted and directed for street theatre. She joined the Awami Workers Party in 2012 when it was founded. Since then, Khan has been active in campaigns for release of progressive political prisoners and movements on housing rights, women issues, students, transgenders, peasants and minorities.[26][27] Khan also stood in the local body elections of Islamabad in 2015 as Awami Workers Party’s (AWP) candidate for vice chairman in UC-28.[28][29][30] Since 2007, Khan is working as political organizer and a feminist.

She is founding member of Women Democratic Front, a feminist, socialist organization.[31]

Notable works
  • Jathiswaram Duet[32]
  • Dukhi[33][34]
  • A Perception (2015): Short drama, directed and written by Hassan Ahmed Raja[35]
  • Hum gunehgar aurtain’: Kishwar Naheed’s well known satirical poem, ‘Hum gunehgar aurtain’ (we sinful women) in honour of women who struggle every day against the injustices and oppression of a patriarchal society; an affirmation of the beauty; strength and power of womanhood.[36]
  • Khabaram Raseeda: Hazrat Amir Khusrows khabaram raseeda, ‘in the hope of a new beginning where everything is encompassed by love.[3]
  • Barzakh[37][38][39]
  • Situation 101
  • Mehergarh[2]
  • Zulm rahe aur amn bhi ho: based on Habib Jalib’s poem Zulm rahe aur amn bhi ho, paying homage to Mashal.[22][21]
  • Niqab [40]
  • Featured in How She Moves (2018): Documentary, a tribute to Indu Mitha[2]
  • Teen Taal: Based on Malkauns raga dates back to Emperor Akbar’s court. The performance with technical dance, called Alarippu in multiple styles of manipuri, khattak and bharatnatyam, is considered the foundation of bharatnatyam taught to every student.[41][42]
  • Hazaron Khwahishein Aisi’ (A thousands yearnings)[43][44]
  • Jaal: organized by Kuch Khas[44]
  • Saavan
  • Aamad[45][46]
  • Ae Ri Sakhi[47]

References
  1. Yasin, Aamir (12 January 2017). "LIVING COLOURS: 'Future of classical dance, music in Pakistan is very bright'". DAWN.COM.
  2. "Freedom of Expression through Bharatanatyam Dance with Amna Mawaz with Q&A". Portland Dance Film Festival.
  3. "Mausikar arranges thrilling performance of dance and music". www.thenews.com.pk.
  4. "Isabelle Anna's story of kathak: There are no words here, just movement". The Express Tribune. 8 December 2012.
  5. "AMNA MAWAZ, DANCE PHOTOGRAPHY- PART 1". Behance.
  6. Ahmed, Shoaib (30 April 2019). "Dance day celebrated with a night of folk, classical performances". DAWN.COM.
  7. "how she moves indu". www.tasmanianbutterco.com.au.
  8. Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (1 March 2020). "Tribute to classical dancer Indu Mitha". DAWN.COM.
  9. "Classical dancer paid tribute". www.thenews.com.pk.
  10. Youlin, Magazine. "FACE Music Mela 2017: Promoting Diversity and Harmony through Music - Mirza Salam Ahmed - Youlin Magazine". www.youlinmagazine.com.
  11. "On Common Ground: From Pakistan to Portland". Sarika D. Mehta. 28 June 2017.
  12. "A tribute performance in honor of the dance guru Mrs. Mitha's 90th birthday - Mahnaz Shujrah - Youlin Magazine". www.youlinmagazine.com.
  13. "Celebrating the life of a legend". www.thenews.com.pk.
  14. "Let Dance take the Lead". The Friday Times. 22 November 2019.
  15. Staff, Images (5 February 2016). "Day 1: What's happening at Karachi Literature Festival 2016". Images.
  16. "International Youth Festival: Bridging cultures". The Express Tribune. 7 December 2010.
  17. "Music Mela Conference 2014". Vmag. 23 June 2014.
  18. "Aman Ki Asha – India-Pakistan people's peace resolution: Throwing a pebble in the pond".
  19. "Amn Mela: With music, songs and dance, tributes paid to Faiz". The Express Tribune. 14 February 2016.
  20. "Schäm Dich!". schaemdi.ch.
  21. Kazim, Syeda Shehrbano (15 April 2017). "Fifth Islamabad Literature Festival commences". DAWN.COM.
  22. "Literature in the Capital". Newsline. 22 April 2017.
  23. "PechaKucha 20x20". www.pechakucha.com.
  24. "DanceWatch Weekly: The Risk/Reward bargain". Oregon ArtsWatch. 22 June 2017.
  25. "Amna Mawaz Khan | The Magdalena Project - international network of women in theatre". themagdalenaproject.org.
  26. "TEDxIslamabad | TED". www.ted.com.
  27. "Calls for women rights resonate in capital". The Express Tribune. 8 March 2015.
  28. Zeb, Sanam (29 November 2015). "Women don't find centre stage on election posters". DAWN.COM.
  29. Mojiz, Aasma (26 November 2015). "Chairpersons in a (chair)man's world". DAWN.COM.
  30. "Rigging allegations: Govt accused of facilitating PML-N candidates". The Express Tribune. 30 November 2015.
  31. "Amna Mawaz Khan | CreativeMornings/Islamabad". CreativeMornings.
  32. "Performing for a cause: Classical dances, music make for a charming evening". The Express Tribune. 28 September 2013.
  33. "Doyenne of Dance". The Friday Times. 18 August 2017.
  34. "Indu Mitha mesmerises audience at Lok Virsa". www.thenews.com.pk.
  35. Raja, Hassan Ahmed (15 March 2015). "A Perception". HARF Factory.
  36. "From Bharatnatyam to Disco Deewane". The Express Tribune. 9 March 2015.
  37. "Classical dance form explores contemporary meanings of life". www.thenews.com.pk.
  38. Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (12 August 2017). "PNCA hosts an evening of classical dance". DAWN.COM.
  39. "PNCA performs Bharatanatyam dance in pure form". The Express Tribune. 12 August 2017.
  40. "Yasir & Jawad all set to unveil their song 'Niqab'". The Express Tribune. 13 November 2012.
  41. "Indu Mitha's 90th birthday celebration was an evening of storytelling | Art & Culture | thenews.com.pk". www.thenews.com.pk.
  42. "PNCA organises an evening of classical dance". Dispatch News Desk. 2 February 2017.
  43. "Indu Mitha to perform at PNCA on August 11". www.thenews.com.pk.
  44. "Dance for change: Promoting universality of art encompassing cross cultural perspectives". The Express Tribune. 20 April 2014.
  45. "About The Colony". The Colony - Art House.
  46. "SWAY WITH US". Libas Now. 12 December 2019.
  47. "Arrival of the beloved". The Express Tribune. 5 February 2016.
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