Over
the years, Kathak has become more refined and stylized, imparting to the
dance-form more grace and expression. In this dance-form, both bhava (the
expression of moods and emotions) and the layakari (rhythmic virtuosity) are of
equal significance--- only the emphasis on each varies between the three
established gharanas-- Lucknow/ Jaipur and Benaras.
When
you look closely, you can note the major differences in the styles. “Since the Jaipur court was constantly under
the threat of border battles, the dancers there incorporated the fierceness of
the atmosphere into their style. Hence you can see a lot of speedy movements,
intricacies and the ferocity behind the 10, 15 100 chakkars. The dancers in the
Mughal court had the abundance of luxury with almost no threat of war, hence
their style is more subtle, graceful, with immense nazakat (poise). Their
movements are soulful and sensuous,” explained veteran Kathak exponent
Shama Bhate, in her interview with the Sakaal Times. (Blending the traditional with the modern)
There
is also a science to the dance form with the weight of the body equally
distributed with prime importance to footwork. Kathak incorporates an intricate
system of footwork.Complex patterns (bol) are created using full flat feet as
well as the balls and heels and exerting control over the sound levels of the
ankle bells.
Kathak
also involves rigorous training in perfecting the pirouettes.
Upper
body movements elicit from shoulder variations and care is taken during
training to avoid manipulations of the upper chest or lower waist muscles.
In the
basic stance, the dancer stands straight, holds both hands folded parallel to
the chest line. For posture correction , it is also suggested to hold one hand at a level higher than the head
, while the other is stretched out on the level of the shoulder.
There
is a standard dance sequence in Kathak. The dancer commences with a sequence
called Thaat followed by a conventional formal entry known as the Amad (entry)
and the Salami (salutation). This is followed by tukra, tora, parana and so on.
The
dancer is also trained in the flawless recitation of the of the rhythmic
syllables (Bol), corresponding to the metrical cycle / Taal.
In the
enacting portions (abhinaya), gata bhav
is performed to a soft, lyrical rhythm. Gata are short narrative pieces which
portray a brief episode from Krishna's life.
A
kathak dancer also depicts different bhava/ rasa through gestures set to the
thumri, bhajan, dadra and all such all lyrical musical compositions.
During
a performance, the dancer also engages in spontaneous exchange with the
accompanying musicians, teasing and tempting each other to surpass. This
results in enhanced intensity of the performance, as the artists challenge each
other through their individual mastery while simultaneously building towards an
unparalleled climax-- a joyful explosion of dance and music.--Jugalbandi and
Sawal Jawab( footwork competition) with tabla/ pakhawaj/ flute).
Both in
nritta (pure dance) and the abhinaya (act) dancers experiment with different
styles and techniques and improvise upon the presentations on a theme.
Kathak dance
is also promoted by the artistes through various dance dramas, and cross-cultural
exploration through blending of the dance-form with others.
