Dr. Farima Berenji and Qais Essar will perform and discuss dance and music from the cultures along the ancient Silk Road. This event draws connections with the musical instruments and textiles from the vast collections of Eastern Arts on display in the Special Collections Reading Room, Level 4 of the SLC City Libraray to celebrate the diverse cultures of the historic Silk Road.
Dr. Farima Berenji is an award winning, internationally acclaimed dance artist, ethnologist, choreographer, instructor, and archaeologist specializing in ancient, sacred, classical, and folkloric dances spanning the millenniums of Persian civilization, the Silk Road, and the Near East.
Qais Essar is an Afghan-American musician based in Phoenix, Arizona. A rabab player and songwriter, he is noted for the song “The Crown Sleeps” from the 2017 animated film The Breadwinner, which won the Best Original Song prize at the 6th Canadian Screen Awards in 2018.