Home > Events > Dance

This full-length production, inspired by a verse of Rumi— “A cup of wine in one hand, the Beloved’s tress in the other/ This Dance I wish amidst the fields,” will showcase a collection of Kaboli’s new choreography, performed for the first time outside Iran since the Islamic Revolution.

Renowned Iranian dancer and choreographer Farzaneh Kaboli is teaming up with Ida Meftahi’s company Vashton Dance to stage Kaboli's new work, “This Dance, I Wish…” (Raqsi Chunin).

Farzaneh Kaboli is the most known Iranian female dance artist—credited as a pioneer in Iranian dance in books such as Salar Zanan-e Iran and Avvalin Zanan. Prior to the Islamic Revolution of 1979, she performed widely as a soloist with the National Dance Company, both within Iran and at many prestigious international venues. After the revolution, she continued her career by acting in theatre and cinema, appearing in numerous TV series, movies, and plays. Today, she continues to teach dance privately, along with instructing movement classes for university students of theatre. Kaboli founded the Harekat Ensemble in 1999, and since 2000, has staged several dance performances in Iran under the title of “Rhythmic Movement,” (as public dance performances are prohibited). Kaboli’s unique choreographic style draws on the rich movement vocabulary of Iranian traditional and regional folk dances and rituals, creating a theatrical form that speaks powerfully to contemporary international audiences

Vashton Dance is a newly established dance company founded by the Toronto-based dancer, choreographer, and dance researcher, Ida Meftahi. Meftahi received her dance training in Iran under the supervision of Farzaneh Kaboli. She has performed widely both in Iran and Canada, receiving media coverage by major Canadian broadcasters, including CBC television. Meftahi received her MA in Dance from York University and is currently a PhD candidate in the Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations at the University of Toronto, working on Iranian theatrical dance in the 20th century. In 2006, Meftahi founded and served as an Artistic Director for “Under the Azure Dome,” a three-day Iranian cultural festival at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto.

Shawrak Music Centre, was founded in 2006 by Nazila Eftekhari, Santur musician and instructor, and Moe Fotovat, B.S.M.E . The centre’s vision is to inspire students of all ages and cultural backgrounds to learn about traditional Iranian and western classical music, and traditional, folk and modern Iranian dance. The Shawrak Music Centre presents and sponsors musical and dance performances.

The event is supported by Iranian Association at University of Toronto (IAUT) and Shahrvand Publications.

Getting there:

For more information contact: Meaghan Giusti
Phone: 416-792-7344
Email: imeftahi@gmail.com

© torontoarts 2002 -2005