Kathak

Genre

Kathak is one of the main genres of the ancient Indian classical dance form. Kathak the word originates from Katha which in Sanskrit means story and Kathakar is the one who tells the story or the storyteller. Kathakars communicated the stories from the great epics and ancient mythologies through dance, songs, and music. Poetry was combined with the rhythmic dance movement where the dancers tell various stories through the mesmerizing, precise, and pulsating footwork, with the graceful yet detailed carriage of the body, their hand gestures, and most importantly the facial expressions which demonstrate Kathak's diverse cultural influence.

Evolution of Kathak

Kathak evolved during the Bhakti movement, the trend of theistic devotion which evolved in medieval Hinduism depicting the stories, especially of Lord Rama and Krishna, and later it was performed under the patronage of India's Persian kings and Mughals.

Kathak is found in three distinct forms, called "Gharanas", named after the cities where the Kathak dance tradition evolved - Lucknow, Banaras, and Jaipur.