Samiya Mumtaz Remembers Late Dance Teacher Mrs Mitha

ISLAMABAD: (Showbiz Desk) – Pakistani actress Samiya Mumtaz has revisited cherished childhood memories of her late dance teacher, Mrs Mitha, sharing a series of throwback clips and recalling the lessons that remained an important part of her life.

In a lengthy Instagram post, Samiya said she first met Mrs Mitha when she was around six or seven years old. She could not recall their exact first meeting, saying it felt as though she had known her for as long as she could remember.

Samiya vividly remembered her teacher’s distinctive appearance, including a sleeveless blouse, cotton sari and long braid decorated with a paranda matching the colour of her sari. She described Mrs Mitha as cheerful and witty, while noting that her playful personality never meant she should be taken lightly.

She recalled beginning private dance lessons with Mrs Mitha at a house in Gulberg, Lahore. The early classes involved simple dances performed to basic verses, although Samiya admitted she was not particularly skilled at the time.

After returning home, she would teach the movements she had learned to her cousin Mahvash, who eventually joined the same classes. Samiya said Mahvash had a natural talent for dance and quickly picked up the finer movements with rhythm and ease.

Samiya also recalled discovering an old letter Mrs Mitha had written to her mother, asking that both cousins rehearse for an upcoming performance. The teacher had apparently preferred Mahvash because she was the stronger dancer.

School years and classical dance

Samiya also looked back at her time at Lahore Grammar School, saying she began school on its first day in 1979. Mrs Mitha later became a dance teacher there, introducing students to regional folk dances as well as styles such as the foxtrot, barn dance and dandia.

She particularly remembered being introduced to classical Bharatnatyam during rehearsals for the school’s annual Parents’ Day. Samiya said learning classical dance was especially exciting because it was an era before YouTube and the internet.

Selected students were trained for tableaux and inter-school competitions, and Samiya recalled that their group frequently returned with top positions.

She said that during the 1980s, school dance classes were at one point renamed “Movement classes”. Public performances were also restricted to female audiences, leading her to perform at events organised by APWA, Lahore Ladies Club and Kinnaird College for Women.

Teacher encouraged her to pursue dance

Outside school, Mrs Mitha continued including Samiya in performances whenever she received invitations. After leaving school and joining Kinnaird College, Samiya continued private lessons with her teacher.

When Samiya asked what she needed to do to become a professional dancer, Mrs Mitha advised her to pursue further training in India. Samiya subsequently travelled to Delhi, where she studied Bharatnatyam and Odissi at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram.

On returning to Pakistan, Samiya discussed her training in detail with Mrs Mitha. She later came to understand that her teacher had developed her own approach to teaching Bharatnatyam in Pakistan, adapting its terminology, movements and costumes for her students.

A bond that lasted for decades

Samiya said her relationship with Mrs Mitha continued for many years. They met in Lahore and Islamabad, initially for dance lessons and later simply to spend time talking.

During their conversations, Samiya heard stories about her teacher’s own experiences in dance, including her memories of pre-Partition Lahore and Bombay.

She also recalled her association with Ajoka Theatre and said Mrs Mitha would often attend her performances in Islamabad. When Samiya once told her that she missed their dance classes, Mrs Mitha reminded her that she was still dancing through her work on stage.

One of the most emotional memories came after Mrs Mitha’s death, when Samiya found an old WhatsApp conversation with her teacher. She had congratulated Mrs Mitha on receiving the Pride of Performance Award in August 2020.

According to Samiya, her teacher responded by saying that the honour also belonged to her students, teachers and everyone who had contributed to her journey over the years.

Samiya revealed that some of the clips she shared were from the 1995 ASR Resource Centre National Conference and Assembly of Development Activists held at Alhamra Arts Council in Lahore.

Concluding her tribute, Samiya apologised for its length and said she had been overwhelmed by the memories. Her post offered a deeply personal reflection on the teacher who introduced her to dance during childhood and remained an enduring influence throughout her life.