RAWALPINDI: A colourful event was organised at the Rawalpindi Arts Council (RAC) in connection with the International Dance Day.

Different types of traditional and modern dances were presented at the event.

Naheed Manzoor and director of the arts council Waqar Ahmed were chief guests at the event while Saeed Anwar was the host.

Ms Manzoor said the purpose of celebrating the day was to promote dance and save the cultural capital of different nations. `Dance has been an important element of human cultures for centuries,` she added.

`Dance has its unique place in performing arts as well. In almost every culture of the world, dancing is done to express happiness. It is said that a dancer tells a whole story with his or her movements and gestures,` Ms Manzoor said, adding that different types of dances were performed in Pakistan, among them classical and folk dances had a special place, while Balochi, Sindhi and Punjabi bhangra were also not second to none.

Waqar Ahmed said folk dance had immense importance in Pakistan.

All regions of the country have their own local dances that renect the culture of those regions.

Dance is the tradition of Baba Bulleh Shah and for 5,000 years, we have witnessed dance with Mohenjodaro`s statue of the dancing girl.

`The arts council has always strived to promote the performing arts, and today`s programme is a link in that line,` he added. The audience enjoyed the performance of dhol, classical, kathak, bhangra, simi, sufi dance and applauded the dance troupes heartily.

A large number of people participated in the event, including Anjum Khabibi, Asma Butt, Afzal Latifi, Arshad Masood Minhas, Syed Salim Effendi, Sapna Shah, Suleiman Sunny, Saeed Anwar, Arshad Khan, Imran Rushdie, Liaquat Shah, Anjum Abbasi, Rahat Ahmed Khan and others.