History of Kathak

The most widely performed dance in North India is Kathak, from the word katha , or story. Throughout its history, Kathak has been primarily a solo performance art. Dance dramas and group presentations have always existed in India , but the emphasis of Kathak has been on the individual artistic interpretations.

A unique feature of the dance is the relationship each artist develops with the audience through recitation and descriptive commentary. This tradition dates back over 2000 years to Kathakas , the wandering bards and minstrels, who told and performed mythological stories before village audiences in India . These tales were often taken from the great epics, the Mahabharata and Ramayana , as well as from stories of the Puranas - especially those of Lord Krishna and his exploits in his sacred land of Vrindåvan .

During the middle ages, the Moguls brought this dance into the court setting. Lavishly costumed and jeweled court dancers entertained kings and noblemen with poetic descriptions as well as technical virtuosity and refined beauty. Kathak is thus the only dance of the seven main Indian classical styles which is a fusion of the aesthetic ideals of both the Hindu and Muslim cultures.

In Wazid Ali Shah's court at Lucknow in the middle of the nineteenth century, Kathak experienced a renaissance. On the one hand, the devotional ideals of the dance were brought to new realization with the incorporation of the Krishna-lila (amorous exploits of young Lord Krishna) which could be danced with the new light-classical vocal form, the thumri . On the other, the exquisite refinement of that court, with its Persianate manners and formal dress styles, enhanced the abstract dance with great attention to details, carriage, posture, and manners. As a result, Kathak is a subtle mix of Hindu and Muslim cultures, depicting stories from the original Hindu epics as well as themes from Persian and Urdu poetry.

Kathak today is a highly sophisticated classical performing art characterised by intricate footwork, expressive movement of the hands and face, rhythmic intensity, swift turns and elegant stances. Wearing rows of small, brass bells on each ankle, the dancer alternates between recitation, footwork, fixed compositions, improvisation and story telling. During a performance, the dancer also engages in playful, spontaneous interchange with the musicians. The exchanges are intensified as the artists challenge each other through their individual mastery while simultaneously building towards a culminating crescendo of dance, drum and music.