Kathak Dance- Interesting fact You Must Know

Kathak Dance- Interesting fact You Must Know

Kathak Dance - Indian Culture and lifestyle
Dance is a form of expression. It helps to communicate inner feelings without using any phrases. If framing words seem difficult dance helps you to express the same elegantly and gracefully. If you are an expressive person, then learning Kathak dance can be your ultimate choice. It heals your mind, body, and soul.
Indian Culture and lifestyle - Indiacafe24
One can express unsaid words beautifully with Kathak. Kathak helps to boost your inner confidence. The gorgeous and seamless movements of the dance form will rejuvenate your inner self. 
Before you embark on the journey, of learning Kathak, know some interesting facts about this dance form.

The Storytellers

Indian Culture and Dance form
The Indian Classical form Kathak originated in North India by the traveling bards. Kathak performers got referred to as storytellers or Kathakars. Kathak dancers portray various stories based on mythology, using hand movements and extensive footwork. Besides hand movement and footwork, facial expressions play a vital role in sharing stories with the audience. 

Kathak Gharanas

Kathak dance is one of the celebrated forms of Classical dance. It is categorized into three gharanas- Lucknow Gharana, Jaipur Gharana, and Benaras Gharana. 
All these Gharans have gained popularity due to the uniqueness in Bols, Tatkaar, styles & hand movements, costumes, paranas, etc. 
Dance in Indian Culture
Jaipur Gharana is famous for paranas, kaviths, and sharp footwork. At the same time, Lucknow Gharana comes with delicate movements. Artists of Lucknow Gharana perform this dance on Gazals. Kathak Performers also express their spirituality via Benaras Gharana Kathak Dance. The performers of Benaras Gharana perform Bandanas, Bhajans, and Thumris, which are for offering prayers to God. 
The Banaras and Lucknow Gharana dancers used to perform in the court of the Kachwaha Rajput King.

Key Phrases And Phases Of Kathak

The phrase Kathak originated from ‘Katha,’ which means a story. Katthaka in the Sanskrit language refers to an individual narrating the story with expressions and gestures. After a passage of time, the dance form made a shift. From temple performance, it moved to the royal court culture. 
Indian Culture and lifestyle
Due to this shift, Kathak evolved as a source of entertainment for the royal people. It remained no more a medium of storytelling. In the current time, Kathak is a movement of rhythm. In the waves of time, Kathak lost its essence as a creative and traditional storytelling medium.

Costumes & Jewelry

Great Indian Culture
Kathak performers of Lucknow Gharanas love to opt for Mughal costumes. The Mughal Costume includes an angarkha, tightly fitting above the waist and the skirt portion explicitly cut on the round, complemented by the churidar on the legs. 
Kathak Jewellery is mainly gold or silver jewelry. Women Kathak performers wear Jhumka, necklaces (long and short), bangles, and flowers on their hair. Ghungroo is a must to wear in Kathak Dance. 

Instruments To Accompany Kathak Performers

Different types of instruments accompany Kathak performers. The Kathak musical instrument includes flute, dilruba, harmonium, ghungaru, pakhawaj, sarangi, sarod, santur, sitar, tabla, and surmandal. The instruments help to measure the cycle of Tal. 

Connection with Spanish Dance

Bollywood News in India
Many research papers successfully revealed specific similarities between the Indian Classical Dance form Kathak and the Spanish dance form Flamenco. The movements of the foot in both dance forms are pretty alike 

Legends Of Kathak Dance

Kathak legendry dancers helped to get this classical dance form a prominent place in the industry. Some of the legendry Kathak dancers are: 
  • Iswari Prasad- Founder of Lucknow Gharana
  • Shambhu Maharaj
  • Lachhu Maharaj
  • Sitara Devi
  • Pt. Birju Maharaj
  • Roshan Kumari
  • Gopi Krishan
  • Uma Sharma
  • Rohini Bhate
  • Guru Vandana Sen
  • Durga Lal
Learning Kathak dance helps a dancer steal the spotlight with elegant and graceful moves.