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Nighat Chaudhry
Born	(1954-02-24)February 24, 1954 (age 71) Lahore, Pakistan
Occupation	Kathakclassical dancer
Years active	1985–present
Awards	Pride of Performance Award in 2018 by thePresident of Pakistan
Website	www.nighatchaodhry.com

Nighat Chaudhry (Urdu: نگہت چودھری)^[1] is aKathak classical dancer who was born on 24 February 1954, inLahore, Pakistan. She moved toLondon with her parents when she was one year old.^[2] She studiedballet andcontemporary dance; but when she was 14, she metNahid Siddiqui, one of the greatestKathak dancers, and began training with her. Inspired to learn theclassical forms of her own culture, she abandoned ballet. In order to understand and absorb the nuances of the Indian style, she wished to be closer to its origins; and she moved back to Pakistan. She eventually became a trained Sufi & Mystique Kathak classical dancer^[3] and has been active as a professional Kathak dancer for over three decades.

She belongs to a literary family on her father's side and to the business world on her mother's side. Her grandfather from her maternal side owned a renowned business by the name of Chaudhry Hosiery Mills before partition inDacca,Ludhiana,Lahore, andFaisalabad, while her father Abdur-Rehman Chaudhry was a professor who taught mathematics at theUniversity of Agriculture Faisalabad, eventually moving on to becoming a professor atGovernment College University.

Her brother, Farooq Chaudhry, graduated with a bachelor's in Dance Performance from The Place (Sadler's Wells Theatre), in London, and performed as an international professional dancer in the eighties and nineties. He received an Asian Achievement Award for his work as a performer in 1988. In 1999, he retired from dancing and completed an MA in Arts Management from the City University of London. In 2000, Farooq Chaudhry co-founded the Akram Khan company, withAkram Khan (dancer), and became the company producer. He has had leadership roles as a producer for theEnglish National Ballet^{[citation needed]} in October 2013, and as an international executive director for China's National Dance iconYang Liping since 2016.

She completed her formal education in London, where she completedO- andA-levels, and received certification from a Dance Foundation Course at the Laban Centre for Movement and Dance, Goldsmiths College, London.^{[citation needed]} She acquired amaster's degree in professional practice in dance technique pedagogy fromMiddlesex University London and a Certified Skill Diploma In Choreography fromJain University in Bangalore.^[4]

• Certificate in Classical Ballet and Creative Dance at Fulham Gilliatt and Rambert,^{[citation needed]} London. 1970-76
• Classical Kathak Dance training under Nahid Siddiqui, London. 1977-83
• Classical Kathak Dance training underMaharaj Ghulam Hussain Kathak, Lahore. 1983-87
• Trained with two advanced intensive workshops atKumudini Lakhia, London. 1981/91
• Advanced classical Kathak training under PanditDurga Lal and Uma Durga at Kathak Kendra,^{[citation needed]} Delhi. 1988-92
• Summer intensive Kathak Workshop atBharatiya Vidya Bhavan Educational Trust withSaswati Sen, the senior-most disciple of PanditBirju Maharaj. 2015
• Completed Grade-3 certificate underPali Chandra Gurukul, the renowned Kathak Guru, Dubai. 2016

In 1985, Chaudhry became an air hostess withBritish Airways (Karachi Base). In 1996, she was appointed as a lead kathak dancer in Nahid Siddiqui's Dance Company London. In 2001, she started working as a director of thePakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA).^[5] In 2010, she created a dance syllabus and taught as a performing arts dance instructor atLahore Grammar School. In 2012, she was a dance teacher at HeadStart School Islamabad. In 2013, she taught at Kuch Khaas Kuch Khaas – The Centre for Arts, Culture & Dialogue, and at Liberal Arts High School, Islamabad. Presently, she is teaching dance at Faiz Ghar^[6] and at her own institute, the Institute of Performing Arts.^[7]

In 1994, she performed Kathak Solo at the FTC auditorium, Karachi, launching her self-choreographed dance work. In 1995, she accompanied then Prime MinisterBenazir Bhutto with a cultural troupe to Turkmenistan, London, and the USA, projecting a strong cultural image of Pakistan through her lectures, workshops, and magnificent dance performances. She choreographed and danced, inLarkana, in a ballet evoking the life of the latePrime MinisterZulfikar Ali Bhutto, on the anniversary of his death, and gained tremendous recognition for her outstanding talent. She performed at all the World Performing Arts Festival in Pakistan hosted by Rafi Peer Theatre^[8] Workshop,^[9] from 1995 to 2013. In 2003, she performed for theArts Council of Pakistan to promote cultural events for the Music Committee Karachi. In 2004, she performed a Kathak dance at the Kodak-HRD Congress Serena Hotel, Islamabad. In 2005, she choreographed and performed at theLux Style Awards and TVOne Global launch show. On 23 March 2005,Pakistan Day, she performed at the Presidency for PresidentPervez Musharraf. In 2008, she performed at the Pakistan Embassy in Spain, in an event called Qalandarbass, to promote and support Pakistan's cultural diversity. In 2009, she performed, for theWorld Population Foundation, an evening called International Mother's Night Islamabad. In 2013, she performed for PC (Pearl-Continental Hotels & Resorts)^[10] events in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar, for the promotion of classical dance in Pakistan. In 2013, she performed a Kathak and Hip-Hop fusion onInternational Dance Day^[11] at Kuch Khaas Islamabad,^[12] and performed at theAll Pakistan Music Conference, Lahore. She also performed at Gala Evening Pakistan Chest Society, withRahat Fateh Ali Khan, IBEX Club Lake View,^{[citation needed]} Islamabad. She performed at the South Asia Labour Conference atHazuri Bagh, Lahore, Pakistan. In 2014, she performed in a Sufi Kathak musical evening, in Multan, organized by the Honorary Consulate General of Paraguay^{[citation needed]} in honor of the Argentinean ambassador. She performed in a tribute to the poetFaiz Ahmad Faiz's book launch in Sindhi by theGovernment of Sindh, Karachi, Pakistan and performed at the 5th Alhamra^[13] International Conference (Beetay Hoay Din Yaad Aatey Hain) at the Al-hamra Cultural Complex. She also performed inRaqs Mein Hai Sara Jahan as "Dancing Away Differences", celebratingInternational Dance Day at the Art Council, Karachi. She presented Nuqta, a special Sufi dance performance with live music and poetry on the occasion of the 14th Daniel Pearl World Music Day 2015,^[14] in collaboration with Kuch Khaas and the U.S. embassy. She participated as a dance choreographer/trainer in the sixth workshop on capacity building and skills development to strengthen local theatre artists' ability to use theatre to promote social change in Southern Punjab, organized by International Alerts Pakistan, in collaboration with SRAM Studios.^{[citation needed]}

She was chosen to represent Pakistan at the Asian Advertising Congress in Seoul, South Korea, in 1985 and at the Great hall of China in 1987. In 1995, she was invited by Citibank and performed for the ex-prime minister of Great BritainMargaret Thatcher at theLahore Fort. In 2016, she choreographed and performed, as cultural ambassador, at theWorld Cultural Festival, with 155 countries represented at theArt of Living Foundation ofSri Sri Ravi Shankar in Delhi, India. She has performed in places such Japan, China, Sicily, Rome, Singapore, India, England, Austria, France, Germany, Mauritius, and the United States. Apart from participating in a number of the International Dance and Theatre Festivals in Pakistan, she has represented the country at venues such as theAmerican Dance Festival in the United States, the Young Dancer's Festival in India, and many others.

The1996 Cricket World Cup was hosted in Pakistan, and Chaudhry^[15] was chosen to present a cultural festival in all the major cities. She choreographed for a group of 35 dancers where she acted and danced the character Sassi (from a Sindh folk legend) and the legendary Anarkali in a dance ballet that was televised onPakistan Television (PTV). From 1995 to 2010, she performed on numerous occasions in Pakistan, such asEid and National Days and Award Ceremonies for PTV and other TV channels. She gave numerous significant thematic performances on PTV. In 2013, she performed on a PTV classical music programme "Raag Gala". In 2014, she gave a solo performance on the anniversary ofPTV World,^[16] and with Sufi singerAbida Parveen. In 2015, she performed and choreographed for Firdous-E-Gosh,^[17] a Classic Musical Soiree, produced by PTV.

Nighat Chaudhry performed raising funds for many charities in Pakistan such as the Cancer Society, Association for Children with Emotional and Learning Problems,SOS Children's Villages andUNICEF. In 1991, she^[18] performed forImran Khan’s cancer hospital, a Kathak Guitar fusion with Salman of Junoon. In 1995, she performed for UNICEF in Islamabad. In 2012, to promote peace and love, she also performed with the Sufi rock group JUNOON on the platform "United for Peace" a benefit concert for World Peace. In 2013, she also presented a dance to empower women^[19] called Strike Dance Rise, a celebration of women's courage and their determination to live and rise for justice, an e global campaign calledOne Billion Rising for Justice, in collaboration between Kuch Khaas and the Islamabad-based AMAL Human Development Network.

Nighat Chaudhry^[20] has performed to great acclaim in many festivals around the world as well as International Dance and Theatre Festivals in Pakistan. She performed in theAmerican Dance FestivalDuke University North Carolina andFaiz Ahmad Faiz Mela Karachi in 1991.She performed in the Young Dancer's and Raindrops festival at the Iskon Hare Rama Hare Krishna center Mumbai India^[21] in 1992.She performed a Kathak Solo in the first National Dance Festival Held by the Rafi Peer Theatre Karachi in 1995.She performed in the Mauritius Festival of solidarity for children in the Indian Ocean in 1996.She performed in the International Mystic Music Sufi Festival in Karachi Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop in 2007.In 2010, Nighat was invited by the Engendered Dance Festival New York to present her new dance work on women calledPurdah. She performed at the Lincoln Centre and Symphony Space.^{[citation needed]} Her performance was reviewed by the ballet review as the most intense dance performance to come out from a country like Pakistan. She performed at the Wief Johor Bahru Malaysia 8th World Islamic Economic Forum 2012.She performed in the 2nd National Dance Festival, Lahore Rafi Peer Theatre workshop in 2013. She performed in a 5-day festival of music, poetry, literature, and dance celebrating Amir Khusro's work Jamal-E-Khusro in 2014. In 2016, she choreographed and performed as Cultural leading ambassador, in the World Culture Festival^[22] amongst representatives of 155 countries at theArt of Living Foundation, ofRavi Shankar, in Delhi, India.

In 1992, she started her career as an actress; she performed in a video of Pakistan's first "Sufi Rock"Junoon (band), for MTV.^[23] She acted in the mini-seriesMr. D.J. andShee Jee and in two long plays:Mystery Theatre andRaqeeb. Then she appeared in an interview on TV Asia, London. In 1993, she played a female lead role in the PTV dramaMaigh Malhar^[24] – a 13-episode love story set at the time of the division of Pakistan in 1971. She was awarded best actress award for her role in this drama. Then she acted inJaal, Pakistan's first soap opera of 100 episodes, which went on air in Pakistan and on the satellite channelZee Tv, from London. In 1994, she performed in Network Television Marketing's (NTM)Prime Time Show. She choreographed and danced in a fusion of Kathak and Modern Dance toNusrat Fateh Ali Khan's song "Mera Piya Ghar Aya". She appeared in an interview on "Weekend Masala" on NTM. In 1996, she danced in a video based on the achievements of women, called "Aurat", choreographed and danced to a concept on communications for NTM's Viewers Awards. In 2000, she acted in the playNeeli Dhoop and the TV serialSila. In 2002, she performed in a music video for Sufi rock groupJunoon. She acted in a serial calledMa shot inScotland, which showcased poetry by Pakistan's renowned poet and philosopherMuhammad Iqbal. In 2003, she acted in a Pakistani feature filmKyun Tum Say Itna Pyar Hai, which was directed byAjab Gul.

Chaudhry^[25] established her NGO, the Nighat Chaudhry Foundation (NCF), in 2016; Her vision for NCF is to re-connect the people of Pakistan with their cultural identity and their heritage.^[26] She wants to establish performing arts as education, to document and preserve cultural heritage, to prevent the decaying of its presence among society.^[27] The NCF's goal^[28] is to encourage, empower and create a transformation space for youth, women, and all the people of Pakistan, a platform^[29] to embrace cultural heritage and performing arts as a means of human development, a healing of cultural wounds and an evolving of communities with a connection back into the cultural fabric and cultural roots of Pakistan. The Nighat Chaudhry Foundation^[30] is meant to guide the people of Pakistan towards a true ownership of cultural heritage.

• Nighat Chaodhry Website
• Nighat Chaodhry Official Facebook Page
• Nighat Chaudhry Official Youtube Channel

• Pakistani female dancers
• Pakistani dancers
• Living people
• Pakistani television actresses
• Pakistani artists
• Actresses from Lahore
• 1959 births
• Recipients of the Pride of Performance
• Kathak exponents

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