100 Days of Tea Bag Art | The Dance Series | Kathak | Day-5 Kathak is one of the ten major classical dance forms of India. The term Kathak is derived from the Vedic Sanskrit word 'Katha' which means 'story' and kathaka, means 'they who tell a story' or 'to do with stories'. The origin of this dance form is traditionally attributed to the travelling bards of northern India known as Kathakars or storytellers. These wandering Kathakas communicated stories from great epics and mythology through dance, songs and music. Kathak is found in three distinct forms, named after cities where the dance tradition evolved: Lucknow, Banaras and Jaipur. Stylistically, the Kathak dance form emphasizes rhythmic foot movements, adorned with small bells (Ghungroo), and the movement harmonized to the music. The legs and torso are generally straight, and the story is told through a developed vocabulary based on the gestures of arms and upper body movement, facial expressions, stage movements, bends and turns. The main focus of the dance becomes the eyes and the foot movements. The eyes work as a medium of communication of the story the dancer is trying to communicate. The difference between the sub-traditions is the relative emphasis between acting versus footwork, with Lucknow style emphasizing acting and Jaipur style famed for its spectacular footwork. This performance art was passed on as an oral tradition, learnt and innovated from one generation to another verbally and through practice. It transitioned, adapted and integrated the tastes of the Mughal courts as well, and was declined, like several other classical art forms during colonial British era. The costumes and facial cosmetics among Kathak performers too, are either Hindu or Muslim (based on the troup) given its journey throughout different times and rules. The pure dance is called a nritta, while the expressive dance is called a nritya.A Kathak performance can be solo, duo or team. In a technical performance, the speed and energy the dancers exchange with the audience increases in multiples, that is the tempo doubles or quadruples. #100daysofteabagart #day5 #kathak