Zahra Mohammadi. Courtesy of the artist.
Zahra Mohammadi (b. 2000) is an Afghan dancer who is currently an Artists at Risk (AR)-Centre National de la Danse (CND) Paris Resident in Paris, France.
In 2019, Mohammadi founded the Sama dance troupe called Shohood-e-Arefan in Kabul, Afghanistan, together with Fahima Mirzaie, from whom she learned the Sama dance, and another artist. The group was the first to perform the Sama dance in public in Afghanistan, where they held shows in several theatres and locations in Kabul, including Marmarin Castle, the Afghanistan Theater, Orphanage Afghanistan, and the GIZ company. Their performances have received mass coverage by large mainstream media organisations in Afghanistan, such as BBC Dari, Voa Dari, Tolo TV and others.
In 2020, Mohammadi began her studies in Business at the American University of Afghanistan and was granted a 4-year scholarship by the US embassy. Following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, arts and culture were essentially banished, and artists such as Mohammadi faced heavy threats of persecution and even death. Mohammadi fled Afghanistan for Paris.
Zahra Mohammadi. Courtesy of the artist.
Zahra Mohammadi. Courtesy of the artist.
After escaping Afghanistan, Zahra Mohammadi has been an Artists at Risk (AR)-CND Paris Resident. The AR-CND Paris Residency is funded by the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and through donations. The residence is organised in cooperation with the Fanak Fund, Paris, France.
