Kathak is said to be one of the most famous and important classical dance forms of India. It is originated from the state of Uttar Pradesh and is very popular across the globe. The word Kathak is said to be derived from the word Katha, which means ‘storytelling’. This dance form is associated with the ancient Kathakars, a group of people who used to narrate religious stories and tales along with music and dance. Kathak dance is a form which is very much influenced by the Persian tradition and was only considered as a durbar dance in olden days. But today the situation is different and the dance form has gradually undergone many change. Kathak is known for its style, expressions and footwork. The presentation of Kathak dance is mainly divided into three parts called Nritta, Nritya and Natya. Nritta refers to the act of pure dance with accurate body movements. Whereas Nritya is a combination of dance and actions, which purely shows the performer's expressions. Natya refers to the entire drama or it shows the element of the act. Normally, Kathak dancers give more importance to their footwork than other hand gestures or mudras. The dancers keep their legs straight while dancing and controls the angle bells accordingly. In Kathak, it is not necessary to stick on to fixed steps and the dancers can change the dance sequences according to their wish. Both men and women performs Kathak.
Like many other dance forms, Kathak also have different styles called Gharanas. Some of the famous gharanas are: ●Lucknow Gharana: This famous gharana was performed in the earlier 19th century at the court of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah the ruler of Awadh. Lucknow gharana is famous for the natural style and movements. ●Jaipur Gharana: It was performed at the durbars of Kachchwaha kings of Jaipur. The Jaipur style is known for its complex footwork, spins and movements. ● Banaras Gharana: It is a slight different from the other versions in terms of movements and instruments used. Generally, floor is very much utilized during this style of dancing. ●Raigarh Gharana: Raigarh gharana was performed in the earlier 20th century at the court of Maharaja Chakradhar Singh of Raigarh. Today, Kathak is more than just a form of court entertainment. It became world famous and is even performed at many international dance events and festivals. Its current form is actually a combination of all its past forms and a result of all the researches done by many famous Kathak artists in recent years.
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