Sashar Zarif is a transdisciplinary performing artist-scholar whose work explores movement as a living archive of memory, sound, and story. For over three decades, he has worked across more than 40 countries, engaging dance not as a fixed tradition but as an evolving, responsive practice. His research moves between ritual, performance, and scholarship, drawing from Sufi and shamanic traditions of Central and Western Asia alongside contemporary choreographic inquiry. Over the years, he has developed Living Stories, an embodied practice weaving movement, sound, narrative, and ritual into a framework for artistic creation, research, and mentorship, as well as Dance of Mugham, a movement language shaped by improvisational musical structures. A Fulbright Award recipient, Zarif’s work bridges embodied knowledge with artistic and academic exchange worldwide.

Imran Babur is an award-winning filmmaker, cinematographer, editor, and photographer whose three-decade career spans Pakistan and Canada. His work ranges from feature documentaries and music films to commissioned projects for institutions including the Aga Khan Museum, Channel 4 UK, and international human rights organizations. Known for his strong editorial voice and visual precision, he shapes complex stories with clarity and emotional depth. His films have screened at major festivals worldwide and received multiple awards and nominations. Alongside his creative practice, Imran mentors emerging storytellers, committed to narratives that foreground shared humanity and interconnectedness across cultures.