Kathak

Kathak is an Indian dance style, which is particularly common in North India, in the Punjab and in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

History

He has developed since the 13th century by itinerant bards and storytellers who came from castes whose profession was religious songs ( Bhajan or ghazal ) to sing and accompany dancing. Most of these songs were from the life of Vishnu and Krishna, as a result of the Muslim rule of the Mughals, however, themes and music of Kathak fundamentally changed since this art form has now been presented, especially at courts, where local artists met with Persian and Arab musicians. It now besides the religious and secular themes were taken up. Templates for the dances traditional Hindu poets like Jayadeva, Kabir, Tulsidas and the preaching Chaitanya Vaishnavism.

Since the 18th century there were three places and clans where the Kathak has been developed significantly. The Jaipur Gharana school in Vrindavan, which was characterized by fast footwork and rhythm, the Lucknow Gharana - school, which was characterized by lyrical elements and the Janki - Prasad - Ghanara school that worked in Varanasi and Lahore, and their style was distinguished by slow elements and footwork to chanting sound syllables.

Nowadays, there are many dance centers and universities in India that teach Kathak.

Performance practice

Usually calls a singer accompanied by a tabla or Pakhawaj to start a Kathak performance in a tribute ceremony ( purvaranga ) Ganesha in to ask for the success of the event. Then the stage is worshiped with flowers and incense. Kathak is danced by men and women, often as a solo dance. Unlike some South Indian dance styles will not dance on the outermost edge of the sole of the foot, but on the flat foot and the toes. The dancers wear up to 150 bells and bells at the ankles, which underline the footwork, which is especially important in Kathak. Many twists, jumps and spins belong to the dance, where the position is predominantly vertical. The narrative Abhinaya parts are almost exclusively made ​​with hands, fingers and arms to a frugal facial expressions, the basic position is often sitting quietly with feet together or. After the issuing invocation follow shorter dances, their sequence is not fixed. There are up to a hundred more dance -scale pieces like the Tukras and Parana, in which the dancers respond to the acclamation of hard sound syllables, but also dances to religious poems and dances to mystical love poems.

In the Gats episodes are shown from the life of Krishna, the dancers represent multiple characters. The folkloric Ras lila is listed in groups and tells the story of Krishna, Radha and the Gopis ( cowherdesses ).

There is a similarity between Kathak and dances in folk theater Alibuxi khyal of Rajasthan.