Kathak Fundamentals

Kathak as a dance form is recognized as India 's very unique traditional classical dance. Kathak Dance is based on three important pillars –

• Katha or The Story

• Abhinaya or The Action

• Updesha or The Moral

Broadly we can say that a“Kathak” is a person who enacts a story to pass on messages to the masses.

There are two parts to the Kathak dance

• Nrit Paksh or Dance part: composed of That, Amod, Bol, Tode (Tore), Tukde (Tukre), Paran, Tatkar

• Abhinay Paksh or Action part :composed of Gatinikash, Gatbhav, Thmri, Bhav, Tarana or Padavinay

Music in Kathak:

In the traditional Kathak dance form Indian classical (Hindustani) music is followed. The various and essential ragas of the Indian classical music, such as ‘Kafi' “Bhupali”, ‘Desh', ‘Bhairav', ‘Bhairavi', ‘Tilak-Kamod', ‘Bageshri' etc.. are used in the acting part of the ‘Kathak' dance and along with these taals (rhythm) like ‘Trital', ‘Jhaptaal', Dadra', ‘Dipchandi', ‘Dhamar', ‘Ektaal', ‘Choutal' etc.. are also employed .

Instruments:

Major instruments used in this dance form are- ghungroo,tabala, pakhawaj, harmonium, sarangi, sitar,suramandal,tanpura, flute, sarod and manjira etc.. In the modern age, sometimes ‘jaltarang', ‘kasthtarang', violin' and electronic instruments are played as different ragas while dancing.

Bhajan,Thumri,Pad,Shloka etc by poets like Surdas, Tulsidas, Meerabai and others like Shri Bindadin Maharaj and Shri Sunderlalji Gangani Maharaj are a quintessential part of ‘Kathak' dance form.

The Dance Form:

The structure of a conventional Kathak performance usually moves from slow to fast, ending in a climax. There are also compositions consisting solely of footwork. All compositions are performed so that the final step and beat of the composition lands on the 'sam' or first beat of the time-cycle. Most compositions also have 'bols' (rhythmic words) which serve both as mnemonics to the composition and whose recitation also forms an integral part of the performance. The bols can be borrowed from tabla (e.g. dha, ge, na, tirakiTa) or can be a dance variety (ta, thei, tat, ta ta, tigda, digdig and so on). The performer engages in a play of taal, loy and sur.

Before the start of the dance, the musicians and singers take up their defined positions and start recitation by playing Lahera (on harmonium) in vilambit laya(tempo) and then the tabala player plays a long uthan(start-up). At this moment the dancer enters the stage and pays respect to the Guru (The teacher),the gods, the singer as well as the musicians and takes-up the position with a definite posture of the Kathak dance.

The compositions can be sub-divided as follows:

1.Vandana - The dance starts with the shloka of God's rituals (Hindu Vedic Recitation) or prayer of the God. After the prayer or the Namashkar, Ganesha Vandana or Shiva Vandana is performed. The dancer pays his/her respect to the God and the Guru( Guru vandana)before the starting of the dance.

2.Aamad (from the Persian word meaning 'entry') -is an essential part of the ‘Kathak' dance, which means ‘to arrive'(aagman). After the Ganesha Vandana is performed, the toda performed with Natvari bol is called Aamad. In this particular section, the dancer presents himself / herself with beautiful and gorgeous movements of dance form in front of the audience.

3.Salaami (related to Arabic word,'salaam' )- is a salutation to the audience in the Muslim style

4.Thatt-‘Thatt' means ‘Structure'. In this section, the dancer introduces definite dance form and then with the different recitations of ‘taal' (rhythm) in vilambit laya(tempo).Between the recitation of taal (rhythm), ‘mukhras' ‘tukras', ‘tihai' and chalan are performed to beautfy the dance form. The dancer finishes on 'sam' in a statuesque standing (thaat) pose).

5.Gat (from the word for 'gait, walk')- shows abstract visually beautiful gaits or scenes from daily life.Gat can be classified as:

Gatnikash: When a dancer takes a rotation and tries to come out then it is known as Gatnikash.

Gatbhav: In which a dancer acts of all the characters of the chosen story by following the rhythm and tempo which adds the dimension in the artists expressions .Gatbhav is a very difficult part of Kathak dance, because it is the mixture of Abhinay (acting), Nrit (movements of body parts along with rhythm and tempo) and the assimilation of both i.e. Nrithya (dance).

Ghatbhav can be divided in two parts, viz-

Chhotigat (Small Gat): Pampering kind of acting is know as Chhotigat. eg. Murligat, Paniharigat etc.

Badigat (Big Gat): When different kinds of works are expressed by gat, it is know Badigat, such as Makkanchori gat, Kaliya Mardan, Govardhan Lila, Sitaharan, Draupadhi Chirharan etc

6.Kavit - is a poem set on a time-cycle; the dancer performs to enact the meaning of the poem

7.Paran- is a composition using bols from the pakhawaj instead of only dance or tabla bols

8.Parmelu- is a composition using bols reminiscent of sounds from nature

9.Tatkar -the movements of legs along with rhythm (taal) and tempo (lay) is know as Tatkar. Tatkar is not only giving‘ ‘thekas’ by legs – but techniques (kayda) ‘Palta’, ‘Gat’, Rela of an expert tabala player who expands the rhythm. Along with the rhythm, the dancer by using his / her feet wants to develop different kinds of tempo.

10.Tihai - is a footwork composition consisting of a long set of bols repeated thrice so that the very last bol ends dramatically on 'sam'.Tatkar and Tukre are ended up in Tihai only. Tihai are of two types:

Dumdar Tihai (Powerful Tihai): When small breaks are given in the three parts, them it is called Dumdar Tihai

Bedumdar Tihai (Powerless Tihai): When no such breaks are given then it is know as Bedumdar Tihai.

11.Ladi -is a footwork composition consisting of variations on a theme, and ending in a tihai

12. Palta: When the order of rhythm (bol) are being changed it is know as Palta. In Kathak the word ‘Palta’ can be used in two ways

a) Sometimes the original things can be reversed to make Palta by tabla, again

b) In Kathak dance the Palta are made of Tatkar and tukra.

Sometimes, Palta are used in ‘Gat’ these are known as ‘Gatpalta’. This kind of palta as based on tatkar of tritaal. eg-At first, right hand should be circulated around the head while uttering /Ta Thai Thai Tat / again the opposite hand should be used in same way while /Aa Thai Thai Tat /. In Gatbhav this action is very much important, because, it indicate the changes in character, place and time.

13. Chal-To walk from the defined to another position in a simple manner, is know as Chalak or Chal .eg-while doing palta in gatnikash, the artist has do chal (walk). There are many kind of chal(s), such as, Gajanani Chal (walk like an elephant), Hans Chal (walk like a duck), Morni Chal (walk like a peacock) etc.

14.Tukra-Single rotation of any tal (rhythm) or bol (rhythm) of lesser matra is generally known as Tukra.

15.Mukhra-When small rhythm (taal) of one or two matra(s) played and ended up in sum and from there onwards theka is being started, then it is known as Mukhra

The Dress Code:

In the ‘Kathak' dance different kinds of dresses are in vogue from the period of ancient Moghal and Rajasthani to perform the dances. The modern Kathak dance was born into the courts of different North Indian Hindu and Muslim kings, so the courtesans dressed in churidar pyjama with dupatta for females, and vest or angarakha and a dupatta knotted on the waist for the males.The dresses of Moghal period are churidar-pyjama, long fleeted frock, short coat and dupatta, it is known as “Peshbaz”. Necklace, jhumkas on the ears, bangles and moon shaped ornaments on the head are worn.

In the Rajsthani style the male dancer wears churidar pyjama, patka, necklace, big ear-rings armlet, turban on the cap made of dupatta. The female dancer wears three different kind of dresses:- • Odhni • Lehenga, choli & dupatta • Churidar-pyjama.

In “Kathak” the make up focusses mainly on eyes and feet.The dancer uses kajal , eyeliner and eye-brow pencil to highlight the eyes by which the perfection comes on the face and the dancer can express so much by the big eyes and lipstick to define the lips. The feet are beautified by putting intricate mehendi/alta designs.

Basic Footwork: 

Right and Left feet are stamped as follows using Keharwa (An eight count beat). 

1	2	3	4
Ta	Thei	Thei	Ta	Bol/Phrase
Right	Left	Right	Left

5	6	7	8
Aa	Thei	Thei	Ta
Left	Right	Left	Right

Navras: Nine Emotions

1. Shant - Quiet
2. Veer - Hero
3. Krodh - Anger
4. Adbhut - Surprise
5. Vibhastsya - Disgust
6. Karun - Pathos
7. Hasya - Comedy
8. Bhaye - Fear
9. Shringar - Beauty