kathak dance :: essays research papers

Kathak is the classical dancing of north indian fashion that was characterized by rhythmic footwork danced under the weight of more than 100 mortise joint bells, spectacular spins, and a representation of themes from Persian and Urdu poetry alongside those of Hindi mythology. The word kathak means "to tell a story". It is derived from the dance dramas of antique India. Kathak arose from the fusion of Hindu and Muslim cultures that took place during the Mughal period. More than any another(prenominal) South Asian dance form, kathak expresses the aesthetic principles of Islamic culture.      The origins of the kathak style lies in the traditional unfolding of Hindu myths by Brahmin priests c aloneed kathiks, who used copy and gesture for dramatic effect. Gradually, the storytelling became more stylized and developed into a dance form. With the arrival in northern India of the Mughals, kathak was taken into the royal courts and developed into a sophis ticated art form through the patronage of the Mughal rulers, kathak took its current form. The vehemence of the dance moved from the religious to the aesthetics. In cooperation with the aesthetics of Islamic culture, abhinaya which is outlined as the use of mime and gesture, became more delicate, with ferocity placed on the performers ability to express a theme in many diametrical ways.     There are two main centers of education called gharanas, which are both(prenominal) named after cities in northern India and which expanded under the patronage of regional princes. The Lucknow gharana developed a style of kathak that is characterized by precise, finely detailed movements and an emphasis on the exposition of thumri, (which is a semiclassical style of love song). The Jaipur gharana required a mastery of complicated pure dance patterns. Nowadays, performers present a live on of kathak based on the styles of both gharanas.A traditional kathak performance feat ures a solo dancer on a stage, surrounded on all sides by the audience.