World Culture Festival: Folk dance, qawwali entrance audience on day 11

A charged audience on Sunday swayed to the groovy moves of lively folk dance and the soulful rendition of qawwalis performed by the country's renowned artistes at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi. 

Performers from the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), Abdul Ghani, Adnan Butt, Mani Chao, Farrukh Darbar, Master Ghulam Hussain and Ravi Jhoomar entertained the people with regional folk dance. 

After the dance performance maestro qawwals, Fareed Fayyaz and Abu Muhammad, transported the audience to a world of spirituality in their unique style.

A day earlier, the festival witnessed several events — an exhibition, a play and a concert. 

The day started with an art exhibition titled "The Legacy, Vision of the Old Masters & Contemporary Painters of Pakistan", which was held at the Ahmed Parvez Art Gallery.

Following the exhibition, the audience were sent into a fit of laughter by a comedic play "Are You Lovin’ It", which was set in an imaginary theme park, WacDonald’s Land.

The play explored the fast food industry as a symbol of globalisation and its global impact with the story delving into contemporary social issues in Japan.

Directed by Kayo Tamura, the production — by blending traditional theatrical techniques like Kabuki and Japanese swordplay with modern pop culture elements such as Gothic Lolita — offered audiences a unique glimpse into contemporary Japanese culture.

The day ended with a concert which left the attendees ecstatic with different styles of music and performances. It started with renowned Sindhi artist Sattar Jogi playing been, followed by Shahzeb Ali's performance.

Following this, Gumaan — an instrumental band from twin cities — captivated the audience with their charged music. After this, DJ Natalia brought her beats to the festival, leaving the people dancing to her music.

The mega concert then proceeded by singer Mai Dhai — a classical singer hailing from Sindh's Tharparkar. After her, Aashir Wajahat took to the stage to spread love through his music, followed by Bayaan's music to mark conclusion of the day.