down the last barriers of cool expectancy and the exacting attitude

of our critics, standing between your young art and us.

That art is indeed young. It was its tender charm but its weakness

also. For us, spoilt outsiders, it was clear that here an art was
groping its way towards'its proper form. Pakistan was going to
dance again, in no other way but its own. And we, who in Europe
so often saw young artists revolt against an existing form, were
struck. For you, unlike so many others, did not reject rvhat rvas
valuable in the style from which you wished to break au,av. Yes.
much of what had been developed in Bharata Nat-r'am \\.e still
seemed to recognize in your technique. But you loosened those
costly acquisitions from their religious and social background and
gave a fresh -meaning to them. A meaning so entirely new and
characteristic, that often they were only recognizable as a technical
basis or just as an ornament.
In a way this "new meaning" made your aft more accessible to us
than those we saw from India or Indonesia. There every movement
was so much interwoven with gods'and heroes unknown to us,
and the mudras so strongly interpreted the language of creeds not
belonging to us, that .much of the meaning and beauty was lost.
Your faith and philosophy asked for subjects nearer to man and
daily life. Whatever your subject, whether the social outcry of
"Lest we forget" or the simple folkstale of "Snake-charmer",
whether beauty for beauty's sake. in "spirit of the Dance" or the
spirit of your people in the heroic and unforgettable

"Chandsultana",

every choreography showed

straightforwardness and measure which carried away the audience

and astounded the critics. Astounded, for here was a maturity

which was difficult to associate with the youth of your style and
technique.
This is, Br-rlbul, why you still exist for us. In the short span of your
years you have shown some seeds and already shown the first
frr-rits to a world, which should be heartless indeed if it allowed
this exalted thing to whither. And personally I have my reasons
for. believing that it r.vill live on. One of them is named Afroza.
There can be no doubt in me since I witnessed this fine artist on the

sr{Fl-frfl{q ))s

stage. But

I find stiil other nams itlr Il

example. The devotion s"ith s'hi,--h 1ot

your ideals. Or conviction. their viso:
probably not only characteristic tor tl
youtli. Even more, since I sarr those co
assisted you, and the r aliant \ra:
representatives in Holland and el'ethet
No, what you radiated did not di>app'earflat in Amsterdam. s'here both -{lroza
and where your little dauehter \aryns
problem of language impending th:ir u
writing this, a storm is ragine oul'ide- r
top of the dikes-protecting our lo'n-cotm
give way, like in the vear \-ou carne o\
sacrifices and takes eners\'. But- u'hate
where there are people Art lives on Io {
this is the message 1'ou broueht to :;s i
love and woe, of faith and -lo1 s in Pak
clear insight into 1'our uar" ot llie- 1-c
state. A far clearer one lhan nJIlI3rL'|i-is a
us. You were a u'orthv amba-rsa,Jt'r of )-t
of all people'in all agesSalute to )'ou. Bulbul. \\-ith in:en:e g
mission. That is s-h1- I ai*r t'"-lt' :o -{i
entire compan)-. Acrualir I g:-etr ell H
me, which through 1'ou I gtrr lur lr.-rs- ls
forth artists like 1'ou in tims irke &ese
itself happy. May it honour this n:ppr
which you were.

[C. Nicolai, bont ] 9l 8. srudied Ls'; ro

for a contbinatiott o-f regional pdryr.
opera. Is dance-critic for o leadinq dfi
a cttltural v'eeklv (De Groene -lnrsterdt

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