Khanzada Asfandyar Khattak

🪔 About

Khanzada Asfandyar Khattak is a prominent Pakistani classical and fusion dancer, choreographer, and instructor, known for his unique blend of Indian classical dance forms with Pashtun folk traditions. Born in Gumbat village in Kohat district, he is a 12th-generation descendent of the 17th-century Pashtun warrior-poet Khushal Khan Khattak. Khattak holds a Master's degree in Business Administration and has also dedicated over two decades to working in the social sector. His journey into dance began with learning basic Kathak steps from a Lahore-based ustad before pursuing his Bachelor's. He formally started learning Kathak in Islamabad in 2001. In 2007, he began training in Bharatanatyam under the legendary guru Indu Mitha in Islamabad, a pivotal moment in his artistic development. After mastering these classical forms, Khattak pioneered a distinctive style by fusing Kathak and Bharatanatyam with traditional Pashtun dances like Attan, and other regional forms such as Logari, Uzbak Qataghani, and Persian Afshari. He is recognized as the first and only classical dancer of his caliber to emerge from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Afghanistan. Khattak utilizes his art as a powerful medium to convey messages of peace, love, and to advocate for gender rights and equality. He has performed extensively across Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Malaysia, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, he conducted online classes, including an Attan session that attracted over 100 participants globally.