please change the file to a presentation reading form. 4-7 minutes.

 

 

Summary of Kathak

India is classified to have one of the best dancers in the world. Kathak an Indian dance being among the dances taken by the Indian people. It is a traditional dance from northern India. Its origin by tradition attributed to the traveling poets of ancient Northern India referred as storytellers. Therefore, Kathak dance communicated stories of the past through the form of a dance. It incorporated god Krishna and childhood stories allowing generations to learn more about their past and traditions (Margaret 5).

It is classified in three distinct forms as from the cities where it first evolved that is Lucknow, Jaipur, and Benares. Lucknow style emphasizes on acting while Jaipur is best known for its stunning footwork. Kathak as a concert art lasted and flourished as an oral tradition, well-read and modernized from one generation to the next in words and through practice (Carol 170). During the colonial movements, some ears accepted Kathak as a form of entertainment while other discouraged it due to the criticism they had for the Hindu people. For example, British Raj era wanted the Kathak dancers to forget the Hindu legends and the India tales and adapt to the new European legends and Christian ways (Nalini 97). They thus termed the dance as a form of prostitution and highly discouraged it. Nonetheless, the dance was revived to retrieve culture and relive history.

Kathak is a combination of Nritya and Nritta. Nyrita means an expressive dance used to communicate feelings in Kathak while Nritta means pure dance that intends to engage the senses of the viewers. The costume of Kathak dance varies depending with the performers as well as the instruments used. The instruments add structure, effect, and depth to the dramatic stage of a Kathak performance. It is a good dance to watch and essential in teaching generations about the Indian culture through tales and legends (David 164).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nalini, Ghuman. Resonances of the Raj: India in the English Musical Imagination, 1897-1947. Oxford University Press 2014 print pp. 97 

Margaret, Walker. India's Kathak Dance in Historical Perspective. Routledge. 2016 print p. 5.

David, Akombo. The Unity of Music and Dance in World Cultures. McFarland. 2016 print p. 164

Carol, Henderson. Culture and Customs of India. Greenwood. 2002 print pp. 171–172.