One country per guest. How does it dance?

Pakistan has no member federation in the World DanceSport Federation, so there is no WDSF route into Latin & Ballroom.

In 2017, Islamabad’s Studio-8 offered salsa classes. Mehndis, Bollywood-style wedding dance parties, are among the few places people dance openly.

in Braghoni, the fastest part of the Khattak dance, Pakistan’s national folk dance. Two swing in the air, the third is held in the mouth.

Ayesha dances solo at a friend’s wedding to a Lata Mangeshkar classic. The bride had asked for the song at the last minute.

Her clip passed 15.7 million views. Copies spread across Pakistan and India, including one by Katrina Kaif.

DHAMAAL

CENTURIES OLD · SEHWAN, SINDH

An ecstatic Sufi dance to the drum, performed by dervishes and devotees at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, especially during his urs.

LUDDI

PUNJAB · WEDDINGS

Dancers move in a circle, clapping hands and clicking fingers to dhol and shehnai. Danced at weddings, and to celebrate a victory.

In 1981, an Islamisation drive under military ruler Zia-ul-Haq banned dance, targeting ankle bells, key to classical forms. In 2016 it was still on the books, if eased.

On 16 February, a suicide bomb killed at least 90 at the Sehwan shrine. By sunset the next day, hundreds of devotees were back to keep the dhamaal going.

APR 2026

Classical dancer Sheema Kermani performs at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi for International Dance Day.