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‘The dances are living truths’

Her Sufi Splendour show was one of the main attractions of the recent Masala awards. Dancer Zia Nath reveals the mysticism behind her routines

WHEN ZIA NATH arrived in Dubai to perform in the city for the first time last month she could not believe the amount of interest surrounding her brand of entertainment. Based in Mumbai, her Sufi Splendour show travels all over the world but had yet to arrive on the UAE’s shores. That was not through lack of interest on Zia’s behalf, but rather a concern that with the Middle East’s perceived conservatism and abundant mix of cultures, there wouldn’t be many takers for what she has to offer. Dubai receives an almost immeasurable number of various dance acts throughout any given year, but Zia’s art carries with it a slightly deeper resonance than your average Bollywood or hip-hop offering.

The performance’s centrepiece consists of Sufi Whirling, a dervish ritual of the Mevlana Sufi Order. The segment reportedly, ‘transports both dancer and viewer to a transcendental space of divine stillness.’ Mixed in with other traditional Indian dances to give a more varied performance, it is the whirling that arouses the most interest says Zia and the part that is closest to her heart.

“The dances are a language. Each gesture is a word; it has a meaning. In the temples they would pass on the truths through dance instead of the written word,” the performer said.

The whirling’s origins are shrouded in mystery, Zia explained to us. According to studies it is supposed to have originated in a hidden monastery in the mountains of the Caucasus in the 12^th century, but elements could date back as far as ancient Egypt.

Brought into the modern world by a twentieth century French mystic who took his findings back home and then on to New York, Zia discovered this form of dance whilst travelling in America.

“I travelled a lot seeking this work. When I found it, it became my anchor. They are still not very popular, the dances I do, but are becoming more known. I was a dancer before I found whirling, but I couldn’t go back to the old dances once I discovered this.”

Asked why this particular art form had such a profound effect on her Zia stated, “The dances are living truths, each one has a story. A lot of the meaning and exact translation has been lost but interestingly, whenever somebody studies this, something shifts. Something so amazing happens – it’s like a shift in alignment – that you just want to keep watching and practising the dances.”

According to Zia her extra-sensory perception has been enhanced since taking this up almost 20 years ago. Before she used to live life as most of us do, worrying about work and rushing about trying to get all the day’s chores completed. Yet, carrying on this little-known tradition has, “fine- tuned my awareness of a deep sense of being,” she said.

Such is the power of the whirling, continued Zia, that watching a full performance of it can only be done under strict conditions.

“These dances aren’t meant for performances in full. If done for traditional presentation it has to be at a retreat or dedicated venue because it’s a moving experience, you can move into deep meditation. When done for my Sufi Splendour show I have to insert a few of the routines into the Indian classical dances I do. It is a stark contrast to the other movements and people always ask about them. People have an emotional experience when the dances come up.”

The practical benefits that Zia derives from whirling is that the practice has a calming effect on herself and those she meets and she also is able to multi-task a lot better these days as a result of the complex order of the music and moves.

“Each part of your body moves to multiple rhythms. Your legs move to a count of six, your head to a count of four, your eyes move to a count of five, nothing is automatic. You have to bring all your awareness in order to do so much.”

Zia concluded by stating that she wished more people knew of the dancing she has dedicated her life to following. She intoned that in the past decade, through the Internet and social networking, people have become more receptive and she believes that interest will only grow with time.