From a cultural dance performance to piano classes to a crafts bazaar and a chance to audition to be a film, there are plenty of things to do around town this weekend. Here are our picks:

Kathak dance showcase

Katara Cultural Village is hosting a Kathak classical Indian dance performance at 7pm today, Aug. 5, at the drama theater (building 16).

The event is free and open to the public and is being held ahead of Indian Independence Day celebrations on Aug. 15.

According to the Gulf Times:

“Kathak is one of the eight forms of Indian classical dance. It traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as “kathakars” or storytellers. From the 16th century onwards, it absorbed certain features of Persian and Muslim traditions and Central Asian dance, which were imported by the royal courts of the Mughal era.”

Art workshops and bazaar

Qatar’s handmade community will once again showcase their creations at the QatART pop up bazaar scheduled on Friday, Aug. 7, from 3 to 8pm. Members of the QatART community are also hosting various workshops at Katara’s Art Studios every first Friday of the month.

The workshops are open to children and adults looking for a creative respite during their weekends.The price per workshop ranges from QR50 to QR250 and is payable at the door. The cost includes all relevant materials.

This Friday’s schedule includes paper mache, paper marbling, cookie decoration, and a paper bag painting workshop. Interested residents are invited to pop by or pre-register by sending your name, phone number and the name of the workshop to [email protected] or call 4408 0233 or 4408 1357.

For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page here.

Piano classes

Steinway Piano Qatar is hosting a series of piano workshops every Wednesday starting today, Aug. 5 at its piano gallery at the Pearl.

The series of four one-hour long workshops cost QR2,000 per person, or QR1,000 per person if you attend with a friend. Classes will be taught by a Grammy-nominated concert pianist, and will focus on basic piano techniques and note reading.

Classes for ladies will be held at 6pm and for men at 8pm. To register, send your name and contact details via WhatsApp or SMS to 6600 5894. For more information, visit the Steinway Qatar page here.

Casting call

The Doha Film Institute (DFI) is hosting a casting call from Aug. 2-15 for actors in nine short films by emerging Qatari filmmakers.

Residents of all ages, nationalities and experience levels are invited to attend the open casting call from 9am to 7pm on weekdays (Sunday to Thursday); from 2 to 7pm on Aug. 14 and from 10am to 5pm on Aug. 15 at the DFI Production Villa in West Bay.

Interested residents are required to register via e-mail at [email protected] and send in a headshot or photo, a brief description (name, age, nationality, languages spoken, acting experience, interest in filmmaking, etc), and a portfolio, if available.

For questions or queries, call 66842615, or find more information here.

Bonus:

• Qatar Summer Festival: As part of the annual summer festival, an “Entertainment City” will be open at the Doha Exhibition Center for the entire month of August. The venue includes amusement park rides, games and shows, as well as a food court. Timings from Saturday to Wednesday are 1pm to 11pm, and from Thursday to Friday, 1pm to midnight. For more information on the summer fest, see our story here.

What are your plans for the weekend? Thoughts?