This dance form traces its origins to the the nomadic bards of ancient northern

India, known as Kathaks, or story tellers. These bards, performing in village sq

uares and temple courtyards, mostly specialized in recounting mythological and m
oral talesfrom the scriptures, and embellished their recitals with hand gestures
and facial expressions. It was quintessential theatre, using instrumental and v
ocal music along with stylized gestures, to enliven the stories. With the advent
of Mughal culture, Kathak became a sophisticated chamber art. Patronized by art
loving rulers, the practitioners of Kathak worked at refining its dramatic and
rhythmic aspects, delighting elite audiences with their mastery over rhythm and
the stylized mime.The technique of Kathak today is characterized by fast rhythmi
c footwork set to complex time cycles. The footwork ismatched by the accompanyin
g percussion instruments such as tabla and pakhawaj, and the dancer and percussi
onists often indulge in a virtuoso display of rhythmic wizardry.The dance moveme
nts include numerous pirouettes executed at lightning speed and ending in statue
sque poses. Theinterpretative portion, based on tales of Radha and Krishna and o
ther mythologicallore, contains subtle gestures and facial expressions. Lucknow,
Banaras and Jaipurare recognized as the three schools, or gharanas, where this
art was nurtured and where the interpretative and rhythmic aspects were refined
to a high standard.Kathak is one of the most important classical dances of India
. Kathak is said to be derived from the word katha, meaning "the art of storytel
ling."The Kathak dance form originated in north India and was very similar to th
e Bharatnatyam dance form. In ancient India, there were Kathakars or bards who u
sed to recite religious and mythological tales to the accompaniment music, mime
and dance.Under the influence of Persian and Muslim traditions Kathak dance assu
med the form of courtly entertainment. Under thepatronage of medieval rulers and
Nawabs a class of dancing girls and courtesans emerged toentertain the palaces
and courts. Medieval traditions imparted Kathak a distinct Hindu-Muslim texture.
Thus, with the passage of time Kathak went on changing its form and character.
This change was alsoreflected in the dress of Kathak dance.During the nineteenth
century Kathak enjoyed a revival and gained prominence among the kings and zami
ndars (feudal lords) not only as a form of entertainment but also as a classical
art form. Slowly and gradually Gharanas or schools of Kathak emerged. The Jaipu
r Gharana of Kathak emphasized technical mastery of pure dance. In the court of
Wajid Ali Shah, the Nawab of Oudh (a student of Kathak), Kathak dance emphasized
dramatic and sensuous expression and developed into a distinct style called the
Lucknow Gharana. This Gharana is said to have originated with Wajid Ali Shah's
court dancer Thakur Prasadji.Kathak dances are performed straight-legged and the
ankle bells worn by the dancers are skillfully controlled. In Kathak dance the
emphasis is more on footwork as against hasta mudras or hand formations in Bhara
tnatyam dance. Kathak dance can be performed by bothmen and women. A Kathak danc
er is not required strictly tostick to fixed steps and stages in. He or she can
change the sequence of steps to suit his or her skill and style of dancing. Mode
rn exponents of Kathak dance are Birju Maharaj and Uma Sharma.Kathakis the major
classical dance form of northern India. The wordkathakmeans "to tell a story".
It is derived from the dance dramasof ancient India. When the patronage shifte
d from the templesto the royal court, there was a change in the overall emphasis
. The emphasis shifted from the telling of religious stories to one of entertai
nment. Today, the story-telling aspect has been downgraded and the dance is pri
marily an abstract exploration of rhythm and movement.Kathakwas primarily associ
ated with an institution known as thetawaif. This is a much misunderstood insti
tution of female entertainers, very much like thegeishatradition of Japan. It w
asa profession which demanded the highest standards of training, intelligence, a
nd most important, civility. It is said that it was common for royalty to send
their children to thetawaifsfor instruction in etiquette. Unfortunately, when t
he British consolidated their hold over India during the Victorian era, this gre
at institution was branded as mere prostitution and was outlawed. This set the
artform ofkathakinto adownward spiral that was not reversed until Independence w
hen there was a reawakening in interestin traditional Indian artforms.There are
three maingharanas, or schools ofkathak. These schools are named according to t
he geographical area in which theydeveloped. These are the Jaipur, Lucknow, and

the Benaresgharanas. Each has a slight difference in interpretation and repert

oire.Musical Instruments Used To Accompany Kathak*.Bansuri*.Dilruba*.Esraj*.Ghun
gharu*.Harmonium*.Pakhawaj*.Santur*.Sarangi*.Sarod*.Sitar*.Surmandal*.Tabla*.Tan
puraSelected Videoskathak dance from Ray's "Chess Players"Kathak - Tarana Dhamar
Tarana : a technical piece ofKathakUmrao Jaan Kathak PractiseKathak by Nahid Sid
diqui 1Kathak by Nahid Siddiqui 6Kathak by Sonia Kundi