CWC19: ENG v AFG - Ridhima learns to dance the Afghan way
In the video available through the linked image above, dancer Ziba Tabrizi teaches a step from Afghan dance "Mast" as part of a celebration of the Cricket World Cup game between England and Afghanistan. She also discusses the dress she wears to perform the dance. No closed captioning is available for the video. I have included a transcript of the spoken text in the video for reference below.
News Anchor Ridhima Pathak: You know it’s so easy to spot an Afghan fan because wherever there’s color, there’s life, there’s beauty and a lot of dance and music you know the supporter is from Afghanistan. Hi!
Dancer Ziba Tabrizi: Hello
News Anchor Ridhima Pathak: I love your outfit, first of all tell me more about it.
Dancer: Thank you, uh. It’s a traditional Afghan outfit. They’re very often beautifully colored, embroidered with beads mirrors, uh, these hanging mirrors here as you can see, little bells and coins. This is actually quite unusual. I had this made in America especially for me by an Afghan tailor in San Fransisco. I love the mirrors because they have a kind of disco effect as you’re dancing, which is quite cool (laughs).
News Anchor Ridhima Pathak: And also I know your dance troupe out here is doing some beautiful Afghan dance.
Dancer: Yeah, well I’m performing here, um, with a group called Rubab Sounds, an acoustic music group. Um and I’m doing three performances today of traditional Afghan dance.
News Anchor Ridhima Pathak: And what is the dance called?
Dancer: Well the dance style I do is called known as “Mast”. It’s fast, lively, fun - it’s what you might dance at a wedding. I perform at a lot of weddings, so it’s quite, it’s quite in demand. It’s a lively sort of party dance. And there’s, I’ve been to, this is the third cricket match I’ve been to for this tournament. I’ve been to Thornton and Bristol. The people love to dance and they’ve got the most amazing popular music and beautiful costumes, and I think it’s a great opportunity to show non-Afghans a bit of that today.
News Anchor Ridhima Pathak: Indeed. And show it to me! If the dance is easy enough for me to learn, I’d love to learn a step. Is that okay?
Dancer: Yeah, I’m sure it is.
News Anchor Ridhima Pathak: Alright! Show me how is it done. Okay
Dancer: Put one foot behind the other foot, and then you just take very small traveling steps.
News Anchor Ridhima Pathak: Yeah, and what do I do with the hand?
Dancer: Well, just a pretty a pretty hand movement, a traveling circle, okay a bit of shoulder, shimmy.
News Anchor Ridhima Pathak: I love it.
Dancer: Laughing
News Anchor Ridhima Pathak: Oh nice, I like it.