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Kathak
is a north Indian style of classical dance. It's origin is in the fusion of Hindu and
Muslim cultures that took place during the Mughal period. More than any other South Asian dance
form, kathak expresses the aesthetic principles of Muslim culture, and influence of which is also
visible in the Spanish flamenco tradition.
The origins of the kathak style lie in the storytelling traditions of Hindu mythology, which used
mime and gesture for dramatic effect. By the time this became more stylized and evolved into a
dance form. With the advent of the Mughals, kathak was taken into the royal courts, and developed
into a sophisticated art form when emphasis moved from the religious to the aesthetic. It was
through the patronage of the Mughal rulers that kathak took the form it has retained ever since,
characterized by rhythmic footwork, spectacular spins, and the dramatic representation of themes
from Persian and Urdu poetry alongside those of Hindu mythology. In accordance with the aesthetics
of Islamic culture the use of mime and gesture became more subtle, with emphasis placed on the
performer's ability to express a theme in many different ways and with infinite nuances of
meaning.
There are two main schools of kathak dance, which grew up under the patronage of regional
princes. Each has a slight difference in interpretation and repertoire. Nowadays, however,
performers present a blend of kathak based on the styles of both scholars.
A traditional kathak performance will be a solo, presented in Persian costume, and
including the following repertoire:
- amad, the dramatic entrance of the dancer on stage
- thaat, slow, graceful section
- tukra, tora, and paran, improvised dance compositions
- parhant, recitation of rhythmic patters
- tatkar, footwork which controls rhythm and timing predominant element in this dance
American Tribal Style |
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