Farah Yasmeen Shaikh

Farah Yasmeen Shaikh

Website: http://www.farahkathak.com/

Farah Yasmeen Shaikh is an international kathak artist. Kathaka is a dance form from ancient India. She is a renowned performer, choreographer and instructor, and the Founder/Director of Noorani Dance. Known for her evocative storytelling, technical precision, delicacy and grace, Farah’s unique artistic voice focuses on topics of historical, social and political relevance, whilst simultaneously maintaining the classical elements of kathaka. Farah performs her own traditional and innovative works, most notably, The Forgotten Empress, and The Parting Farah has received support and recognition for her work from the Walter & Elise Haas Fund, New England Foundation for the Arts, Zellerbach Family Foundation, Alliance for California Traditional Arts, and San Francisco Foundation and Dancers’ Group. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area and training the next generation of Kathak artists in the U.S., Farah also performs and teaches in Pakistan throughout the year.

MORE ABOUT THE ARTIST

What did the Fellowship or Laureate mean to you at the time you received it?

What do you do now? Has your art evolved or changed?

What is one piece of advice you would give to an emerging artist?

Briefly, how would you describe the state of the arts locally, as well as national and beyond?