Kathak dance

E62409
Indian classical dance form performing art storytelling dance tradition

Kathak dance is a classical Indian dance form known for its intricate footwork, rapid spins, expressive storytelling, and strong roots in the cultural and musical traditions of northern India.

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Observed surface forms (3)

Surface form Occurrences
Kathak 1
Lucknow school of Kathak 1
Lucknow school of Kathak dance 1

Statements (64)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Indian classical dance form ⓘ
performing art ⓘ
storytelling dance tradition ⓘ
associatedWithReligion Hinduism ⓘ
Islam ⓘ
BanarasGharanaSpecialty balance of nritta and abhinaya ⓘ
costumeFeature angarkha or kurta for male dancers ⓘ
ankle bells (ghungroo) ⓘ
flowing skirt for female dancers ⓘ
countryOfOrigin India ⓘ
culturalSignificance important part of North Indian cultural heritage ⓘ
performed at festivals and cultural events ⓘ
developedFrom storytelling traditions of North Indian bards ⓘ
governingBodyRecognition Sangeet Natak Akademi ⓘ
hasCharacteristic abhinaya (expressive acting) ⓘ
expressive storytelling ⓘ
facial expressions ⓘ
fast footwork patterns ⓘ
improvisation ⓘ
intricate footwork ⓘ
nritta (pure dance) ⓘ
nritya (expressive dance) ⓘ
pirouette-like spins ⓘ
rapid spins ⓘ
rhythmic complexity ⓘ
strong emphasis on rhythm ⓘ
use of ghungroo (ankle bells) ⓘ
use of hand gestures ⓘ
hasEtymology derived from Sanskrit word ‘katha’ meaning ‘story’ ⓘ
‘kathakar’ means ‘storyteller’ ⓘ
hasGharana Banaras (Varanasi) gharana ⓘ
Jaipur gharana ⓘ
Lucknow gharana ⓘ
historicalContext later flourished in Mughal courts ⓘ
originated in temple and village storytelling traditions ⓘ
patronized by Nawabs of Awadh ⓘ
JaipurGharanaSpecialty vigorous footwork and complex rhythm ⓘ
LucknowGharanaSpecialty graceful expression and abhinaya ⓘ
performanceSetting modern proscenium stages ⓘ
royal courts ⓘ
temples ⓘ
performedTo Hindustani classical music ⓘ
pakhawaj accompaniment ⓘ
sarangi accompaniment ⓘ
sitar accompaniment ⓘ
tabla accompaniment ⓘ
vocal compositions ⓘ
recognizedAs one of the eight major Indian classical dance forms ⓘ
regionOfOrigin northern India ⓘ
surface form: North India
tempoRange drut (fast) ⓘ
madhya (medium) ⓘ
vilambit (slow) ⓘ
typicalRepertoireElement abhinaya to bhajans or thumri ⓘ
amad ⓘ
gat nikas ⓘ
paran ⓘ
thaat ⓘ
tode ⓘ
tukde ⓘ
usesLanguage Awadhi ⓘ
Braj region ⓘ
surface form: Braj

Hindi ⓘ
Urdu language ⓘ
surface form: Urdu
usesRhythmicSyllables bols ⓘ

Referenced by (5)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Oude → associatedWith → Kathak dance ⓘ
this entity surface form: Lucknow school of Kathak
Indians → associatedWithDance → Kathak dance ⓘ
this entity surface form: Kathak
northern India → hasCulturalTradition → Kathak dance ⓘ
subject surface form: Northern India
Uttar Pradesh → hasCulturalTradition → Kathak dance ⓘ
Nawabs of Awadh → patronOf → Kathak dance ⓘ
this entity surface form: Lucknow school of Kathak dance