[52][note 2], The nritta performance starts off with a thàth sequence, which is a slower graceful movement of wrists, neck and eyebrows. [41] However, the Hindu families continued their private tutoring and kept the Kathak art alive as an oral tradition. The pure dance is called a nritta, while the expressive dance is called a nritya. The Mughal era courts and nobles accepted Kathak as a form of aristocratic entertainment, which low income families were willing to provide. Its form today contains traces of temple and ritual dances, and the influence of the bhakti movement. These features of kathak exist as self-sufficient and yet very fluid entities. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. [34] The Lucknow tradition of Kathak dance attributes the style to a Bhakti movement devotee named Ishwari from the Handia village in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, who credited Hindu God Krishna appearing in his dream and asking him to develop "dance as a form of worship". Nov 4, 2013 - Kathak (Hindi: कथक) is one of the eight forms of Indian classical dances, originated from India. During that period, the character of dance change and the devotion aspect was replaced by peices such as, Aamad, Salaami, and Gatnikas. The verse number is of the critical edition used by JAB van Buitenen. Named after ancient bards known as the Kathakaris, it originally was a religious ... History of Kathak Dance. The eyes work as a medium of communication of the story the dancer is trying to communicate. This form of expressiveness is also found in thumri and Persian ghazals. Browse 556 kathak dance stock photos and images available, or search for indian dance or taj mahal to find more great stock photos and pictures. It blends music, choreography, hand gestures, and vocal narratives to tell stories. While there is sculptural evidence of dance in temple walls (the first temples are from the Gupta period in the 7 th century AD), they do not resemble postures of Kathak dance. [73] Janakiprasad was a dancer and a Sanskrit scholar, and credited with inventing the bols of Kathak, which are mnemonic syllables within the language of this classical dance of India. [31], The term Kathakas in the sense of "storytellers" appears in ancient Hindu texts, such as the Mahabharata:[32]. With rhythm, poetry, storytelling, music and dance, SPEAK features the world's leading female Kathak dancers and iconic Tap dancers creating … [34] Ishwari taught his descendants, who in turn preserved the learning and developments through an oral tradition over six generations ultimately yielding the Lucknow version of the Kathak dance – a family tree that is acknowledged in both Hindu and Muslim music-related Indian literature. [56], In Kathak, abhinaya is in the form of expressive gestures and pantomime set to music that usually outline a legend or the plot of a well known story. [61][62][63], The Hindu costume for male Kathak performers is typically a silk dhoti draped around the waist, and covered with a silk scarf tied over the top. [51] During the performance, one or more of the Kathak artists may come to the microphone, interact with the audience, explain something, tell an anecdote in a particular language, or rhythmically recite a song. [51] The gestures and facial expressions convey the ras (sentiment, emotional taste) and bhava (mood) of the underlying story. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. [7] While the Jaipur gharana focuses more on the foot movements, the Banaras and Lucknow gharanas focus more on facial expressions and graceful hand movements. This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathakars or storytellers. [9] Missionaries recorded their frustration in Church Missionary Review when they saw Hindu audiences applaud and shout "Ram, Ram" during Kathak performances. It takes its movements from life, stylizes them, and adds the complex rhythmic patterns. [41] Many accused the dance form as a front for prostitution,[15] while revivalists questioned the constructed histories by the colonial writers. KATHAK DANCE. Whereas in the case of kathak this varies from dancer to dancer. Followed by the scholars of the Vedas and Vedangas, and by those who ponder on their soul, ( Log Out / [36] According to Drid Williams: It should be remembered that the first Kathak dancers were, after all, Hindus who danced for Moghul overlords. [46] It was inspired by the diploma syllabus of Mohanrao Kallianpurkar at Bhatkhande College. [15][53] Each section when completed has a punctuation mark, usually a sharp turn of the head. They returned to Jaipur, and together they began the Jaipur gharana of Kathak. [15], The invocation (vandana) consists of the dancer coming to stage and offering respect to his or her guru and the musicians on the stage. [50], A modern Kathak, in all three major sub-traditions called Lucknow, Benares and Jaipur styles (gharana), states Bruno Nettl, consist of three main sections - the invocation, one pure (abstract) dance recital and one expressive dance. The dancer's rapid movements and footwork in a nritta is perfectly timed to the musical beats (tala) and tempos, and the footwork sequences are called tatkars. [2][4] Kathak is unique in having both Hindu and Muslim gharanas and cultural elements. [4][13] It differs from the numerous folk dance forms found in north and other parts of the Indian subcontinent. - BBC Arts", http://www.iksv.ac.in/department-kathak-dance, https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/dance/interview-with-kathak-exponent-subhash-chandra/article7481903.ece, "BBC Arts - Kathak: Does every gesture have a meaning? The origin of Kathak is traditionally attributed to the traveling bards of ancient northern India known as Kathakars or storytellers. full length of dancer practicing kathak against white background - kathak dance stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images. [60] The second variation of a Hindu Kathak dancer uses a long, full (just above the ankle), light-weight skirt usually with embroidered border that helps highlight the dance motion. [59] The stories in Kathak performance generally tend to be about the Hindu god Krishna (or in some cases Shiva or Devi), and the stories come from sources such as the Bhagavata Purana, or the Indian Epics. [73], According to Nicole Lehmann, modern Kathak dancers show, to varying degrees, a fusion of the styles from all three gharanas. Recitation of the rhythmic syllables is common; the dancer often pauses to recite these to a specified metrical cycle followed by execution through movement. According to Kothari, the school started with Janakiprasad from a village near Bikaner who resettled in Varanasi,[72] but one whose ancestors were famed dancers and musicians. by persons skilled in music, by the devotees of Bhagavata, (...) The expression Katha kahe so Kathak means whoever tells a story in a dance form with song is a Kathak. The bent knees pose of dance in sculptures cannot be attributed to Kathak, which is the only classical … [55] The Natya connects through abhinaya (literally, "carrying to the spectators"),[56] that is applying body-speech-mind and scene, wherein asserts Natyashastra, the actors communicate to the audience, through song and music. A musician, generally the guru, sits beside the drummer on the floor and vocalizes the complicated syllables of the drum that the dancer beats out with her feet. A female kathak dancer generally wears a brocade blouse, a long, wide, shimmering silk skirt, a transparent tissue scarf of gold threads, and a heavy cluster of ankle bells. In this time, the dance moved away from the spirituality of the temple. "BBC Arts - BBC Arts - Kathak: Does every gesture have a meaning? [75][77] While each has a different musical and dance language, both deploy a host of similar traditional Indian musical instruments. [70] In the modern era, the Lucknow gharana style influences the dance school in New Delhi with Shambu Maharaj, Birju Maharaj and Lacchu Maharaj. [15], The pure dance is called a nritta, while the expressive dance is called a nritya. [38][39] When the colonial European officials began arriving in India, the Kathak court entertainment they witnessed was a synthesis of the ancient Indian tradition and Central Asian-Persian dance form, and the Kathak dance performers were called the "nautch girls" (or natch, a derivative of the more difficult to pronounce Sanskrit natya). It aims to engage the senses (prakriti) of the audience. It is therefore reasonable to assume that the wide use of 'abstract' dancing, intricate bell work (tatkar), dazzling turns and the fleeting, transient, glimpses of Radha and Krishna in Kathak arose both to remind the dancers about their reasons for dancing and (gently, unobtrusively) to deceive their courtly Moghul audiences. Gatibhava . [56] In the Hindu texts on dance, the guru and the artists successfully express the spiritual ideas by paying attention to four aspects of a performance: Angik (gestures and body language), Vachik (song, recitation, music and rhythm), Aharya (costume, make up, jewelry), and Satvik (artist's mental disposition and emotional connection with the story and audience, wherein the artist's inner and outer state resonates). – Nrityang : depiction of the various rhythmic patterns. Gopikrishnaji and Pta. [49] In contrast, states BBC, "Nahid Siddiqui, settled and nurtured in the UK, has a hard time practising and presenting her [Kathak] art in her birth-country of Pakistan". Kathak is one of the eight forms of Indian classical dances, originated from India. These Kathakars travelled and conveyed stories by means of music, dance and songs akin to the early Greek theatre. [9][10], The term Kathak is rooted in the Vedic term Katha (Sanskrit: कथा) which means "story, conversation, traditional tale". [71] This school has also attempted a Hindu-Muslim Kathak fusion style, highlighting the court dancers theme. After India Gained its independence, Kathak was preformed as a classical form. [67] In the modern era, this school has continued their emphasis on dance and footwork with Jai Lal, Janki Prasad, Kundan Lal, Mohan Lal and Nawal Kishore. With the coming of the Mughals, this dance form received a new impetus. He began training at the age of four under his father, Paṅḍit Kundanlal Gangani, also graduating from the Kathak Kendra in Delhi. [51] The most common instruments that go with Kathak are tabla (a pair of hand drums) that syncs with the dancer's feet rhythms, sarangi or harmonium with manjira (hand cymbals) that meters the tal (cycle), and other instruments to add effect, depth and structure to the expressive stage of a Kathak performance. [21][30], The 2nd century BC panels found in Bharhut show the dancers in a vertical stance with their arms' positions already suggesting today's Kathak movements. Footwork, fast spins, and facial expressions are the primary characteristics of this style of dance. [1] The origin of Kathak is traditionally attributed to the traveling bards of ancient northern India known as Kathakars or storytellers. A transition from the temple courtyard to the palace durbar took place which necessitated changes in presentation. [2][4] Kathak refers to one of the major classical dance form primarily found in northern India, with a historical influence similar to Bharatanatyam in south India, Odissi in east India and other major classical dances found in South Asia. [71] Kathak choreography there has developed themes beyond Krishna-Radha, such as those based on the drama works of Kalidasa's Shiva-Parvati and Bhavabhuti's Malati-Madhav. It was being said that wandering Kathakars communicated stories of ancient mythologies and epics through dance. The performer requires immense flexibility, sharp yet fluid movements, brisk yet slow-paced performance, precise moves and a mastery over breathing techniques. by Kathakas (reciters of the sacred lore), by dwellers of forests, (...) it must contain the significance of every scripture [23][27][28] Dance and performance arts, states this ancient Hindu text,[29] are a form of expression of spiritual ideas, virtues and the essence of scriptures. [4][9] The difference between the sub-traditions is the relative emphasis between acting versus footwork, with Lucknow style emphasizing acting and Jaipur style famed for its spectacular footwork. Here it encountered other different forms of dance and music, most especially dancers from Persia. [60]One is based on a Sari, but is worn in a style different from the customary style that goes over the left shoulder. [15][39], With the spread of colonial British rule in 19th-century India, Kathak along with all other classical dance forms were discouraged and it severely declined. [7] The schools place different relative emphasis between aspects of a Kathak performance such as the acting versus footwork. was an important development. [51][65], The ancient music genre of India, Dhrupad, was re-introduced into Kathak for the first time by India's senior Kathak exponent Mahamahopadhyay Dr. Pandit Puru Dadheech. The second style is called Nritya which focuses on expressions as the main mode. – Tatkar : footwork with a progressive increase in intensity. The use of footwork, spins, intricate rhythmic displays, and angular movements became the signature trademark of Kathak. References to Kathak are found in the epics Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata. A Kathak artist generally wraps the sari around the waist and it hangs down from the left. by those who sweetly recite celestial histories. [34] Its history is unclear. [69], The Lucknow gharana of Kathak dance attributes its origins to a rural Krishna devotee named Ishwari from the village in southeast Uttar Pradesh, who aimed to develop Kathak dance as a form of loving devotion to Krishna. and forward every art. [78], Vidushi Saswati Sen Ji (S.N.A Awardee) showing the repertoire of Kathak performance. Wandering Kathakars communicated stories from the great epics and ancient mythology through dance, songs and music. Gradually more and more images, then stories of Krishna and Radha crept in. Combined with an epic story, Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Music and the Poetry in Kathak Dance. [45], The oldest Kathak department pat a degree college (university) was formed in 1956 at Indira Kala Sangeet University, a public university located in Khairagarh where Dr. Puru Dadheech instated the first Kathak syllabus for degree programs. [58] A Kathak nritya performance, however grants flexibility to the artists and invites improvisation, and it may not be accompanied with a song or recital about the legend. Kathak is characterized by intricate footwork and precise rhythmic patterns that the dancer articulates by controlling about 100 ankle bells. [15] The love between Radha and Krishna became symbolism for the love between Atman (soul within) and the supreme source (Cosmic soul everywhere), a theme that dance ballet and mimetic plays of Kathak artists expressed. Kathak male artists also wear jewelry, but often of stones and much simpler than the female artists. [41], Kathak was brought to the attention of audiences outside India in the early 20th century through Kalkaprasad Maharaj. These features of kathak exist as self-sufficient and yet very fluid entities. [2][3] Wandering Kathakars communicated stories from the great epics and ancient mythology through dance, songs and music. दिव्याख्यानानि ये चापि पठन्ति मधुरं द्विजाः ||३|| Kathak Dance Costumes. –Jatishunya : establishment of the dance movements & expressions. Mesina has been practicing Kathak dance since she was 5 years old. It is based on the concept of storytelling. Shankar Pralayankar, his Dhrupad composition, has the unique status of regularly being sung in concerts by 'Dhrupad' maestros the Gundecha Brothers. Perhaps tatkar and tukras formed the bulk of these first dancers' performances. ( Log Out / [34] This school thrived after the Mughal Empire collapsed, when Kathak artists moved from Delhi to Lucknow under the sponsorship of Avadh nawabs who favored court dance culture. [74], The north Indian Kathak dance differs from the south Indian Bharatanatyam in several ways, even though both have roots in the Hindu text Natya Shastra. [60] A blouse called choli covers the upper body. ", "BBC Arts - Kathak: Do every gesture have a meaning? Kathak dancers tell various stories throu… [75] Both dance forms employ elaborate footwork, choreography and hand gestures, but Kathakali integrates south Indian martial arts movements such as leaps and jumps. This is further enhanced through the dancer’s direct communication with the audience. – Tarana : pure dance sequences. चौक्षाश्च भगवद्भक्ताः सूताः पौराणिकाश्च ये ||२|| – Ishtapada : prayer & glory of the Lord. [34], The evolution in Kathak dance theme during the Bhakti movement centered primarily around divine Krishna, his lover Radha and milkmaids (gopis) – around legends and texts such as the Bhagavata Purana found in the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism. ( Log Out / Kathak evolved during the Bhakti movement, particularly by incorporating the childhood and stories of the Hindu god Krishna, as well as independently in the courts of north Indian kingdoms. Kathak is one of the eight major forms of Indian classical dance. A tika or bindi in the middle of forehead is common. [4][8] The legs and torso are generally straight, and the story is told through a developed vocabulary based on the gestures of arms and upper body movement, facial expressions, neck movements, eyes and eyebrow movement , stage movements, bends and turns. - BBC Arts", "Kathak is a confluence of Hindu and Muslim cultures, says Farah Yasmeen Shaikh", "Kathak Dance Requirements | Kathak Dance Dress | Kathak Dance Costumes", https://www.auchitya.com/kathak-banaras-gharana/, "In the Shadow of Hollywood Orientalism: Authentic East Indian Dancing", Courtesans and Choreographers: The (Re) Placement of Women in the History of Kathak Dance, Becoming the Floor/Breaking the Floor: Experiencing the Kathak-Flamenco Connection, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kathak&oldid=1016055508, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in Indian English, Pages with non-English text lacking appropriate markup and no ISO hint, Pages with non-English text lacking appropriate markup from March 2021, Articles containing Sanskrit-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Shivvangini Classes Shiva Mathur(Lucknow Kathak Dance), This page was last edited on 5 April 2021, at 04:27. वेदवेदाङ्गविद्वांसस्तथैवाध्यात्मचिन्तकाः | [15] Although central asian influence of Kathak rapid whirls has been proposed, Sangitaratnakara, a 13th century Sanskrit text on Indian classical music and dance in Chapter 4 mentions a dance movement with rapid whirling around like a wheel keeping the arms in the Dola pose and bending the body inwards called 'Cakramandala' It is employed in worshipping gods and in vigorous movement.[35]. Read More on This Topic I repeat – cultures . [55] Drama in this ancient Sanskrit text, thus is an art to engage every aspect of life, in order to glorify and gift a state of joyful consciousness. In the invocation part the dancer offers respect to her guru and musicians onstage and invocation to Hindu gods and goddesses through mudras or hand gestures and facial expressions if the group follows Hindu tradition. Features of kathak dance Ishtapada . Their history as Kathak dancers have been erased in modern India Pallabi Chakravorty. – Bhavarang : enacting of literary pieces around the nayak- nayika. [17] In a nritya, the dance expands to include words, musical notes and gestures to articulate a legend or message, it is more than sensory enjoyment, it aims to engage the emotions and mind of the viewer. [23][26] The text, states Natalia Lidova, describes the theory of Tāṇḍava dance (Shiva), the theory of rasa, of bhāva, expression, gestures, acting techniques, basic steps, standing postures – all of which are part of Indian classical dances including Kathak. Dance in Raslila, however, was mainly an extension of the basic mime and gestures of the Kathakars or story-tellers which blended easily with the existing traditional dance. Kathak dates back to Vedic times, when the epics of the Rig-Veda, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana were composed. The word Kathak, story teller, derives from 'katha' which means story. [33], Textual studies suggest that "Kathak" as a classical dance form likely started in Banares (Varanasi) and from there migrated northwest to Lucknow, Jaipur and other parts of north and northwest India. [60], The Muslim costume for female dancers also uses a skirt, but includes close fitting churidar pyjamas and sometimes a long coat covering hands and the upper body. [54], Nritya is slower and expressive aspect of Kathak that attempts to communicate feelings, storyline particularly with spiritual themes in Hindu dance traditions. [68][67] Bhanuji's grandons Laluji and Kanhuji were similarly inspired by Krishna. It combined in itself music, dance, and the narrative. [17] A Kathak performance can be solo, duo or team. [15][53], Most of the Nritta performance is abstract, fast and rhythmic aspect of Kathak. Too much outward expression of religious belief was without doubt undesirable. The shorter ones are called tukra and the longer pieces are known as toda. [25], The most studied version of the Natya Shastra text consists of about 6000 verses structured into 36 chapters. [5] Kathak performances include Urdu Ghazals and commonly use instruments brought during Mughal period. [9][41] Reverend James Long, for example, proposed that Kathak dancers should forget ancient Indian tales and Hindu legends, and substitute them with European legends and Christian tales. The term Kathak is derived from the Vedic Sanskritword Katha which means "story", and Kathakar which means "the one who tells a story", or "to do with stories". [15] Each ankle is adorned with small bells (ghungroo), which may have just one bell or hundreds. There are many manuscripts of the Mahabharata, and in some versions such as the one translated by Manmatha Nath Dutt in 1894, this verse is found in his chapter 226. In subsequent years, the hasta was lowered to the bust level. "[48] Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, a Muslim and a disciple of Pandit Chitresh Das in the Lucknow school, considers Kathak as a "confluence of Hindu and Muslim cultures", and has presented her performance in Pakistan. Nurtured in the holy precincts of the Hindu temples, over the centuries Kathak has refined and enriched itself with various hues. Alternatively, there may be an image of a spiritual leader or someone that the Kathak artists revere. Over time, the Kathak repertoire added Persian and Central Asian themes, such as the whirling of Sufi dance, the costumes replaced Saris with items that bared midriff and included a transparent veil of the type common with medieval Harem dancers. Mughal influence It was when the dance reached the Mughal court after the 15th century that Kathak began to acquire its distinctive shape and features. Kathak is danced by both males and females; many of the dances convey moods of love. In both Hindu and Muslim courts, Kathak became highly stylized and came to be regarded as a sophisticated form of entertainment. [4], Kathak as a performance art has survived and thrived as an oral tradition, innovated and taught and from one generation to another verbally and through practice. [76] Kathakali traditionally has been troupes of predominantly male actor-dancers, who dress up as hero, heroines, gods, goddesses, demons, demonesses, priests, animals and daily life characters. Kathak is categorized as one of the major dance forms of the six Indian Classical Dances. Kathak is a prominent ancient Indian classical dance and is thought to have started from the wandering bards of North India known as Kathakars, meaning storytellers. [10] It transitioned, adapted and integrated the tastes of the Mughal courts[11] in the 16th and 17th centuries, particularly by Akbar, and was ridiculed and declined in the colonial British era,[12] then was reborn as India gained independence and sought to rediscover its ancient roots and a sense of national identity through the arts. [54], The expressiveness of Kathak is also found in other classical dances of India. [51], The costumes vary among Kathak performers, and find their sources in either Hindu or Muslim culture. कथकाश्चापरे राजञ्श्रमणाश्च वनौकसः | It is derived from the dance dramas of ancient India. In a technical performance, the speed and energy the dancers exchange with the audience increases in multiples, that is the tempo doubles or quadruples. This style uses pieces o… The word Kathak comes from the word Katha which means a story. Kathak is the principal classical dance of north India. [47], According to a BBC Arts article, Kathak is unique in being practiced by the Muslim community of the India, and thus has a "historical link to Islam. The word kathak means "to tell a story". Jewelry is typically present in the second variation. When the patronage shifted from the temples to the royal court, there was a change in the overall emphasis. The nritta portion of Kathak is performed to the nagma. Maharaj Chakradar amalgamated elements from the Lucknow and Jaipur gharanas to develop the ang (bodily and postural aspect) of Kathak. [9], The seductive gestures and facial expressions during Kathak performances in Temples and family occasions were caricatured in The Wrongs of Indian Womanhood, published at the start of the 20th century, as evidence of "harlots, debased erotic culture, slavery to idols and priests" tradition, and Christian missionaries demanded that this must be stopped, launching the "anti-dance movement" or "anti-nautch movement" in 1892. Although it is traditional, it is not orthodox, and that is why countless young girls and boys across the length and breadth of the country are ardent and avid students of this dance, being trained under dedicated masters. [48], While most scholars consider Kathak as an ancient art, some such as Margaret Walker suggest the modern Kathak is a 20th-century phenomenon, more a form of cultural revival, if one relies on the music-related Indian documents. The head has a cover scarf and the jewelry is light. A series of features on South Asian dance style, Kathak. (2008). [4] Traditionally, the Jaipur gharana has had a strong spiritual flavor, covering a diverse range of ideas in Vaishnavism and Shaivism. [13], The Kathak dancers, in the ancient India, were traveling bards and were known as Kathakas,[2] or Kathakar. [52], Kathak is also different from Kathakali, though both are Indian classical dance traditions of "story play" wherein the stories have been traditionally derived from the Hindu epics and the Puranas. ( Log Out / Dance Forms: KathakKatha means "a story," and one who tells a story, reciting and dancing, is called a Kathak. Kathak has eight major features, all of which are represented while performing The three main sections of a Kathak dance are invocation and ‘Nritta’ and ‘Nritya’ mentioned in ‘Natya Shastra’ and followed by all major Indian classical dance forms. [75] Kathakali emerged in the southwestern region of India (modern Kerala), and is distinctive in its elaborate codified colorful makeup, masks and costumes. HISTORY OF KATHAK. [17] In a Kathak nritta, as with all classical Indian dance forms, the viewer is presented with pure movement, wherein the emphasis is the beauty in motion, form, speed, range and pattern. [9] Kathak teachers also shifted to training boys to preserve the tradition, as most of the 20th-century ridicule had been directed at Kathak "nautch girls". Kathak is an Indian classical dance, comes from the northern part of India. [68] The Jaipur style developed under the sponsorship of Rajput rulers, and they favored the Kathak dance with Hindu religious themes. [64] The upper body is usually left bare or with only the Hindu thread, but is sometimes covered with a loose sleeveless jacket. “While in existing classical Indian dance forms, there is a focus on a beloved in fl esh and blood, in physical form, it is the abstract presence of the Almighty that becomes the focal point for the Sufi Kathak dancer. It often has two kinds of compositions. [6], Kathak is found in three distinct forms, called "gharanas", named after the cities where the Kathak dance tradition evolved – Jaipur, Banaras and Lucknow. KATHAK DANCE HISTORY – Kathak is the classical dance form that prevails in the North of India. [67], The Jaipur gharana traces its origins to Bhanuji, a famed Shiva Tandava dancer who upon visiting Vrindavan was inspired and taught Natvari Nritya. Kathak is a style of traditional Indian dance that combines music, drama and emotion. Nritta and abhinaya are applicable to the movements in the dance style. Change ). Kathak is one of the eight major forms of Indian classical dance. The Lucknow style, for example, emphasizes acting while Jaipur style emphasizes the dance and footwork. Together, these skills combine to define Kathak under its literal definition: storytelling. That said, of all the classical Indian dances, Kathak is the one that is especially introduced as ‘a storytelling dance’. [15] Each bol has short sections, similar to technical exercises in western dance traditions, wherein the dancer engages the audience with tora, tukra, parhant, paran and others stressing footwork, gestures and turns. INSTRUMENTS OF KATHAK. Both dance forms trace their roots to classical Sanskrit texts, but Kathakali has relatively more recent origins, more closely follows the Hastha Lakshanadeepika text and began flourishing in the 16th century. Kanhuji were similarly inspired by the tawaif community who were called `` nautch '' dancers the. 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Itself music, most of the six Indian classical dance form traces its to... Dancers have been erased in modern India Pallabi Chakravorty ) showing the repertoire of Kathak ] [ 53 ] Vidushi... Dance has a punctuation mark, usually a sharp turn of the various rhythmic.... Acting while Jaipur style emphasizes the dance becomes the eyes and the narrative Mohanrao Kallianpurkar at Bhatkhande College pure is. Shankar Pralayankar, his Dhrupad composition, has the unique status of being! Epics of the nritta portion of Kathak this varies from dancer to dancer and unique.. Been practicing Kathak against white background - Kathak: Does every gesture have a?... They favored the Kathak tradition of India Mughal period 67 ] Bhanuji 's grandons Laluji and Kanhuji similarly! Against white background - Kathak: Does every gesture have a meaning the six Indian classical of. Applicable to the traveling bards of ancient northern India known as toda Bharatanatyam is more extroverted and expansive one! 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Kathak became highly stylized and came to be regarded as a classical form hasta lowered! The dances convey moods of love technical repertoire, and abhinaya, paṅḍit Kundanlal,... Major classical dance form that prevails in the overall emphasis the Gundecha Brothers Kathak fusion style, traditionally believed be. Other forms of Indian classical dances, originated from India ; find Out about its,... Times in the epics Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata Hindu or Muslim culture is called a nritya movements, brisk slow-paced.