The region's music shares similarities both with nearby areas of India and the other side of the border, in the Pakistani province of Sindh.

Traditional music includes the women's Panihari songs, which lyrically describes chores, especially centered around water and wells, both of which are an integral part of Rajasthan's desert culture.

The celebration of changing seasons is also very central to folk music of Rajasthan. Celebration of the coming of the Monsoons or the harvest season are central to most traditional folk songs. Songs also revolve around daily activities of the local people for instance a song about not sowing Jeera (Cummin) as it is difficult to tend. Or for instance another song about Podina (Mint) and how it is liked by various members of the family (an allegorical reference to a local liquor extracted from mint is also made). Every day common themes are the center of traditional rajasthani folk music.

BANNA 1 - Folk music from Rajasthan

Besides their message of love and harmony, Shah’s poetry and music compositions have always been popular among Sindh’s old and young.

The tradition of Faqirs singing at the shrine is 300-year old. They sing Shah’s verses to the accompaniment of Tambooro (a variation of an Arabic stringed instrument, invented by Shah Latif) almost round the clock.

There are 80 Faqirs who sing in 14 groups with each group assigned a day or a night.

A singing session usually starts with Sur Kalyan, opening chapter of Shah jo Risalo, the anthology of Shah Latif, flowed by other Surs, according to time of the day and season.

In monsoon, Sur Sarang (the rain raga) is sung and on the 14th night of a lunar month, Sur Khambhat is sung. Shah addresses moon in Sur Khambhat as he praises the beauty of his beloved and narrates the pain of separation.

In the middle of the session comes Sur Suhni with a particular prayer called Suhni ji Dua.

The popular Sur Rano is sung at late night and the session comes ends with Sur Marui early in the morning.

Sur Sasui Abri - Faqirs of Bhitshah

This is a cover of the song. The original song was sung and composed by Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan for the film, Bandit Queen. 

A song on child marriage. Here is the translation of the song taken from the website: http://nusratonline.com/blog/featured-fan-stories/chhoti-si-umar-by-ustad-nusrat-fateh-ali-khan-a-social-awareness-song-with-english-translations/


Choti Si Umar - Bandit Queen

I am not a musician, producer or singer. I just enjoy creating. When I feel too much, I create something out of it. I couldn't think of a better way to create something of the feelings I express in this song. Though it's my first ever song. The unprofessional glitches here and there don't bother me as I truly created this with all my heart without any pressures etc. I'm just sharing something that came straight out of me. 

The words that I wrote myself are in Sindhi Language as I felt pretentious singing something original in Urdu or English as I am Sindhi speaking. See below for translation in Roman Urdu and English Language.
                                                                               
آئي آهيان هاڻ هتي
آئي آهيان هاڻ ڪٿي؟
آئي آهيان
آئي آهيان
پير منهنجا بيهن نٿا
پير منهنجا کڄن نٿا

Translation:

Aayi hoon ab, yahaan - I have come now, here
Aayi hoon ab, kahaan? - I have come now, where?

Aayi hoon - I have come
Aayi hoon - I have come

Paaon merey ruktey nahi - My feet can't stop moving
Paaon merey uthtey nahi - My feet can't start moving (almost like my feet have become too heavy to take any steps )

I created this song myself from scratch, just to let out what was inside of me.

Aayi Aaheyan - I have come

Episode 1  - When we move is a series of conversations based on movement, the body, art, dance, the heart, mind and life.

Every Friday.

Episode 1 is with the creator of the podcast, Suhaee Abro, as she articulates her motivation behind starting this series: what dance has done to and for her; what movement is in her perspective; and how she explores this theme further in conversation with others (movers, dancers, musicians, actors, doctors, anyone working with the body internally or externally) in the episodes to follow. 
Aadil Ayub, her longtime friend and an outsider the field of dance/movement, asks her questions about dance and movement as a personal practice, and how to understand and engage with it as a layperson.

To watch the vodcast (YouTube) and hear the podcast (various platforms), you will find the links to it on: https://suhaee.com/podcast/

Artwork by Abro Khuda Bux
Photograph by Ezster Papp

#podcast #movement #conversations #dance #life #art

When we move - Episode 1 with Suhaee Abro

Episode 2 - When we move is a series of conversations based on movement, the body, art, dance, the heart, mind and life.

Every Friday.

Episode 2 is with Dr Peter Lovatt who is a Dance Psychologist. His breakthrough moment came when he combined his fascination with psychology and neuroscience with his passion for dance. He spent over twenty years as an academic in British universities researching the relationship between the body and the mind. He set up the first Dance Psychology Lab in 2008, from where he studied how movement changes the way people think and solve problems, how it changes social interaction and increases pro-social behaviour, and how movement changes people's feelings.

He found that when you move, you improve. Movement enhances human experience.

He is the author of two books, The Dance Cure (2020) and Dance Psychology (2018).

Dr Lovatt is a co-creator of Movement in Practice (MiP), a technique for using movement to enhance the human experience in business, education, health and social care.

Dr Peter Lovatt is a world-class speaker who delivers groovy keynotes. Speaking about movement, and its impact on our relationships, thinking and emotions, Peter has shared keynote sessions with Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, Geena Davis, Steve "The Woz" Wozniak, Sir Richard Branson, Lin-Manuel Miranda and others.

Dr. Peter Lovatt takes you on a thought-provoking and entertaining exploration of the psychology of movement and how it affects uniquely human skills such as creativity and divergent thinking, skills that are important in education, healthcare and the workplace.

Peter developed and teaches two courses on Dance Psychology at the Royal Ballet School in London.

Peter is sometimes known as Dr Dance.

Music reference credit (Dr's Dance's Happy Dance): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p1ubjp_VtA&t=94s

A big thank you to both Lindsey and Dr. Peter Lovatt for making this conversation possible. To know more about him: https://www.peterlovatt.com/

To watch the vodcast (YouTube) and hear the podcast (various platforms), you will find the links to it on: suhaee.com/podcast/

Artwork by Abro Khuda Bux

#podcast #movement #conversations #dance #life #art

When we move - Episode 2 with Dr. Peter Lovatt

Episode 3 - When we move is a series of conversations based on movement, the body, art, dance, the heart, mind and life.

Every Friday.

Episode 3 is with Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, an internationally touring artist practicing the Indian classical dance form, Kathak. Born, brought up and living in California, U.S.A, she received her training for two decades by the late Pandit Chitresh Das.

Farah is known for her powerful and evocative storytelling, technical precision, delicacy and grace - bringing a clairvoyant voice to the contemporary stage, while simultaneously maintaining the traditional aspects of Kathak.

Farah is a former member of the Chitresh Das Dance Company and former instructor of the Chhandam School of Kathak. Touring extensively with the company nationally and internationally since 1998 and later as a soloist with her first solo performance in 2007.

In 2015, Farah presented her first full length production of her own original choreography - The Twentieth Wife - a performance of Farah as the solo dancer through an adaptation of a novel by Indu Sundaresan of the same title, including live musical accompaniment and multimedia. Farah continues to tour the follow up to this project, The Forgotten Empress, with an original script written by playwright and director, Matthew Spangler.

In 2016, Farah founded her own organization, Noorani Dance, providing in depth training to students ages 5 and up.

For more on Farah and Noorani Dance: https://nooranidance.com/farah-yasmeen-shaikh

Intro music credits: Shehroz Hussain (Sitar), Yousuf Kerai (Tabla), Farah Yasmeen Shaikh (singing) 

To watch the vodcast (YouTube) and hear the podcast (various platforms), you will find the links to it on: suhaee.com/podcast/

Artwork by Abro Khuda Bux

#podcast #movement #conversations #dance #life #art #kathak #indianclassicaldance #southasian

When we move - Episode 3 with Farah Yasmeen Shaikh

Episode 5 - When we move is a series of conversations based on movement, the body, art, dance, the heart, mind and life.
Every Friday.
Episode 5 is with Amna Mawaz Khan, who began her training in at the age of 11 years under the dance legend Indu Mitha. With an emphasis on Bharatanatyam, she has also learnt and explored Kathak, Uday Shankar and Pakistani folk dances.
From 2016 to 2018, Amna was appointed head choreographer and dance instructor of the permanent dance ensemble, the National Performing Arts Group, at the Pakistan National Council of Arts. During this time, she choreographed 3 dance pieces, Barzakh, Situation 101 and Mehergarh with the group ranging from 13 to 22 dancers. 
 
In 2016, Amna attended a short course in choreology and choreography from Trinity Laban Conservatoire in Greenwich, England. She has performed and given workshops across Pakistan as well as in Switzerland, China, America, India and the United Kingdom.
Amna is a part of the Awami Workers Party, Women Democratic Front, and has been active in and organized movements for housing rights, the women's movement, as well as indigenous people’s struggles, environmental issues, students, peasants, transgenders, and persecuted religious and ethnic groups.
 
A strong believer in art being a powerful tool of social change, Amna is also part of the progressive art collective Laal Hartaal, and often works with the Pakistan National Council of the Arts, Kuch Khaas and Theatrewallay in their creative productions.
 
She is currently mentoring with Bharatanatyam guru Subashini Ganesan, the current Creative Laureate of the city of Portland (Oregon, USA). 
Links to her pages: 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Anarchistani
FB:https://www.facebook.com/amnamawazkhan/?ref=br_tf&epa=SEARCH_BOX
INSTAGRAM: @amnadabbadoo
Photocredit: Snober Abbasi
To watch the vodcast (YouTube) and hear the podcast (various platforms), you will find the links to it on: https://suhaee.com/podcast/
Artwork by Abro Khuda Bux
#podcast #movement #conversations #dance #life #art #bharatanatyam #amnamawazkhan #pakistan #politicalactivism #feminism #women'smovement #humanity #leftwing #socialist #democratic #liberalism #artandpolitics #contemporarydance #southasian

When we move - Episode 5 with Amna Mawaz Khan

I am a dancer and actress by profession. I love creating and experiencing art.

Suhaee Abro

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