Farah Yasmeen Shaikh

Farah Yasmeen Shaikh is an internationally acclaimed Kathak artist – performer, choreographer and instructor, and Founder & Artistic Director of Noorani Dance. As a performer, Farah is known for her evocative storytelling, technical precision, delicacy, and grace, with two decades of training from the late Pandit Chitresh Das. Farah has gone on to develop a unique artistic voice, often addressing topics of historical and social relevance, while also maintaining the classical elements of Kathak. Throughout the United States and internationally, Farah performs her own traditional and innovative works, most notably, The Forgotten Empress (based on the life of 17th Century Mughal Empress Noor Jahan), The Partition Project (based on the 1947 India-Pakistan Partition), and Nazaakat aur Taaqat—Delicate Power. Since 2015, Farah has been consistently performing and teaching throughout Pakistan—engaging in meaningful exchanges with artists, organizations, students, and art-loving and desiring Pakistanis. Performances and teaching engagements in Pakistan include the International Faiz Festival, Islamabad Arts Fest, Indus Valley School of the Arts, T2F (the Second Floor), the Urdu Conference, the Women’s Conference, private events, and many more.