We are delighted to make our first announcements for International Women's Day 2026
Fahima Mirzaie, Afghanistan's most famous sufi whirling dancer will be one of our special guests at an event hosted at Queen's University Belfast 8th March as part Beyond Skin ACCEPT PeacePlus programme with Alternatives Restorative Justice, Springboard Opportunities and Include Youth. Fahima Mirzaie BBC Documentary
Supporting partner organisations and companies include Black Diamond NI, Alghochak, Online Music Exams and The Learning Machine (TLM), Queen's University.
Fahima and other special guests visiting our shores will also be involved in other events 5th - 10th March.
For more information info.beyondskin@gmail.com
Other special guests announced
Anna Rüya,Ayyildiz is a captivating whirling dancer, who was born in London to an Irish mother and an Anatolian Alevi father. Her diverse cultural background seamlessly weaves into the rich tapestry of her artistry. With a lifelong inquiry into dance, she found herself drawn to the mesmerising and spiritual practice of spinning. She delved into the intricacies of whirling through the exploration of her ancestry roots.
Her lifework is not just showcases of skill and technique but profound explorations of the whirling dance's spiritual essence. Prepare to be transported into a realm where dance becomes a language that speaks to the spirit, a meditation that resonates with the soul, and a healing force that transcends the boundaries of time and culture.
Professor Katherine Schofield is the Head of the Department of Music at King's College London, and a historian of Mughal India and the paracolonial Indian Ocean focussing on music and the arts. Since Kabul fell to the Taliban in August 2021 I've also become an advocate for Afghanistan's professional & hereditary musicians to be recognised as "members of a particular social group with a well-founded fear of persecution" under international refugee conventions. My third book, "Music and Musicians in Late Mughal India: Histories of the Ephemeral, 1748–1858" (2024) is now out in paperback with Cambridge University Press, and I’ve recently begun to branch out into documentary film. I’m sought after as a public speaker, and as a consultant on historical Indian instruments, soundscapes, manuscripts & paintings by art dealers & major collections around the world, as well as lending my expertise to TV & film script writers and radio broadcasters.
Elisa Schroth founded Ekklesia School of Ballet and is the artistic director of Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet, a professional dance company based in Connecticut USA.
Elisa has choreographed many works that align with the company’s mission to strengthen human connections while drawing attention to social injustices such as poverty, inequality and human suffering.
In 2025 Elisa curated and choreographed UNCAGED, a Ballet celebrating the artistic expressions of Afghan women, particularly those who have worked in secret in Afghanistan. The music was inspired by the paintings of Afghan artists Shajia Azhir, Khadija Doorman, Alina Gawhary and Elaha.
Composer Sadie Harrison who scored the ballet was instrumental in getting Alina Gawhary out of danger to Belfast to begin a scholarship in fine arts at Ulster University.
more announcements to follow
