LAHORE: The Institute of Performing Arts in collaboration with the Lahore Arts Council is organising a five-day dance festival in May.

LAC Executive Director Atta Muhammad Khan and ace dancers Nighat Chaudhry and Wahab Shah announced this at a press conference at the Alhamra Art Centre, The Mall, on Tuesday.

The dance gala, including workshops and joint sessions of dancers, will be held at different venues in Lahore.

Atta Muhammad Khan said that during his little over ninemonths` tenure at the LAC he had tried to bring an overall improvement with special focus on performing arts. He said dance was an integral part of performing arts that`s why the LAC was collaborating with the IPA on the project.

Nighat Chauhdry said the fiveday event would be joint effort of the IPA (her project), Wahab Shah Dance Company and Dugdugi Theatre. She said the IPA aimed to cater all forms of performing arts to celebrate dance, theatre, puppetry and other expressions.

Ms Chaudhry said the gala would kick off with dance event by the Pakistan National Council of Arts (as a tribute to NighatChaudhry) in connection with the International Dance Day.

On May 2, the IPA will host an orientation workshop on the dance genres of Kathak, hip hop, folk and Bollywood. The workshop will take place at Alhamra. On May 5, a session will be held with young dancers under the title `Who Am I`. The participating dancers will narrate their stories, their journey of learning dance and why the art form was dear to them. The event will take place at Olomopolo.

An event titled `The Rise and Fall of Dance in Film Industry` will be held at Faiz Ghar on May 8. It will showcase a visual journey of dance in Pakistani filmand dialogue with eminent personalities from fraternity such as Pappu Samrat, Zarin Panna and film actress Noor.

On May 16, eminent dancers from all over Pakistan will come together to showcase the story of various dance genres. This event will feature 40 or so performers at the Alhmara Art Center on The Mall.

Ms Chaudhry and Wahab Shah said such an event on dance, a performing art genre being neglected for many years by government institutions, had only been made possible by the ef forts and cooperation of the LAC.

Alhamra would provide the IPA the venue, lights and other such facilities.