Song of the Reed: From Balkh with Love

Date: Saturday, February 11, 2023, 8 pm
Sunday, February 12, 2023, 2 pm
Price: $30 Regular, $27 Friends, $22.50 Students and Seniors
Tickets include Museum admission.
A limited number of rush tickets will be available at the door.

Join internationally renowned performing artist, educator, and researcher Sashar Zarif as he debuts his newest dance, Song of the Reed, co-presented by the Aga Khan Museum and the Sashar Zarif Dance Theatre.

Song of the Reed is a captivating exploration of the first poem titled "Beshno" or "Listen" in the book of Masnavi by the universally acclaimed poet Rumi. Drawing inspiration from Rumi's birthplace, the ancient city of Balkh, and the rich cultural tapestry of Afghanistan, it creates space and time for the audience to actively listen. This atmosphere is facilitated by a cast of six cross-generational and multi-disciplinary artists whose breaths and bodies collaboratively create a flowing river of dance and music.

The hypnotizing dance is presented in the contemporary style of Mugham, an integrated practice developed by Zarif that blends dance, music, and storytelling and is inspired and informed by the Sufi and Shamanic rituals of Muslim societies.

Zarif will be joined by guest artists Nasrullah Tavakoli (Afghan Dutar and vocal), Günay Akca (Turkish Reed/Ney), Sashar Zarif Dance Theatre’s Mairead Filgate, Kathia Wittenborn, Ethan Kim, Sully Malaeb Proulx, creative facilitator Katherine Duncanson, and lighting designer Gabriel Cropley.

Please note, Sunday's afternoon performance will be followed by a conversation and Q&A with the artist.

Sashar Zarif

Known for creating award-winning, multi-disciplinary dance projects, Sashar Zarif is an internationally renowned performing artist, educator, and researcher. His work is steeped in the artistry and history of traditional, ritualistic, and contemporary dance and music of the Central Asian, Middle Eastern and North African regions, focusing on the Sufi and Shamanic practices within Muslim societies and beyond. Zarif and his Dance Theatre have toured across forty countries, promoting cultural dialogue through intensive fieldwork, residencies, performances, and creative collaborations.