KEY ELEMENTS OF KATHAK DANCE
1. Movements – Kathak dance form are indicates a wide range of expressive movements, including their – facial expression, hand gestures are expressing emotions and narratives. Hand position type’s name is “Pataka”, which is using by hand at the time of kathak dance. All together those things it is called “Abhinaya”. 2. Styles and school – This dance form have several different styles like as “Gharanas”. The three main gharanas are “Lucknow styles”, “Banaras styles” and “Jaipur styles”. Each gharanas are associated with a particular region or a historical ancestry. All of the gharanas has its own characteristics and techniques and also identities each of them. 3. Footwork – All the dancers are wearing “Ghungru”, which is made with small metal balls. Ghungru’s are wearing in ankle of foot and that must be tightly. Footwork’s should be very rhythmic and baseful, the dance syllables that are produced from footwork are called “Tatkaar”. In Kathak dance the main syllables of Tatkaar are: “Ta Thei Thei Tat, Aa Thei Thei Tat”. Kathak dancers usually perform many variations of Tatkaar such as “Kadhi Tatkaar”, “Heal Tatkaar”, “Vazan Tatkaar” etc. 4. Turns – In this dance form all the turns should be very graceful and sharp. And must be remember that whenever we are started the turns every time our focus will be a particular point, and our hands moves that’s way like – the two hands wrists are thrown out words in an “L” shape and then pulled it down. At the time of Kathak dance those turns are called “Chakkar”. 5. Sum – Sum is the first beat of a movement like “Aavartan”. Kathak dancers returning on the “Sum” after completing a time cycle. Sum is an accented more than any other beat. “Sum” is denoted by the sing “x”. Every movement’s starting and ending position beat is called “Sum”. 6. Matra – “Matra” it’s called beats. A is divided into “Vibhags” or Parts. Each vibhags has a set of beats which are called “Matras”. Matras are division in a time cycle. For example; the constant interval between the seconds in “Laya”, the time which measures sixty minutes is Tal, and the seconds are the “Matras”. 7. Taali – “Taali” is also called “Bhari”. “Taali means clapping. Besides “Sum” each taal has beats where the dancers are clap. Example in “Teen Taal” – dancers are clap on the 1,5 and 13th “Matras” are there. 8. Khali – Khali is also called “Phank”. The word of “Khali” means empty. Khali is the rest point of a Taal. The tabla plyers stop plying left tabla on the syllables of Khali. “Khali” is denoted by the sign of “0”. 9. Vibhag – The divisions of a Taal are called Vibhag. The sign for Vibhag is a small straight vertical line. 10. Aavartan – A cycle of any taal is called an Aavartan or an Aavriti. 11. Laya – Rhythm or Tempo. Laya is a continuous movement in space of time. Music and Dance without Laya is like a body without bones. There are mainly three kinds of Layas. Laya Vilambit – The slow tempo, Laya Madhyam – The moderate or medium tempo, Laya Drut – The first tempo. 12. Chaugun – Fourth speed. Four beats into one beat or four time the speed of the basic time cycle. For example- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. 13. Dugun – Double speed. Two beats into one beat or double time the speed of the basic time cycle. For example- 1 2 3 4. 14. Aamad – Aamad is a Persian word, which means an “Entrance”. This piece is danced in the beginning of the performance and is composed of the characteristic’s patterns of Natwari bols, which are the basic syllables of Kathak dance. 15. Salami – The word “Salami” literally means salutation. While performing salami, the dancers honours the audience by saluting it in a special manner. Salami is performed in the beginning of the performance.
16. Taal – Taal is a very important concept in classical Indian dance and music. Taal is a group of certain beats. Taal is a measurement of time which calculates the number of beats utilized in certain time period. It is said that Bharat Muni discovered the 32 kinds of taal in a song of a lark.
17. Thaat – Thaat in general means decoration or a graceful attitude. Thaat is a stylized pose, which brings in a line waist, hips, thighs, neck, aims, chest, and feet. The dancer moves limbs of his or her body gracefully in a slow tempo.
18. Thah – Slow speed. One beat for every beat. For example: 1 2.
19. Theka – The syllables of any taal played on tabla is called a Theka of that particular Taal. Theka is a ground for all rhythmic variations and has a character of its own. It has a significant structural unity.
20. Tihai – Concluding movements or a dance phrase repeated three times.
21. Toras – Toras are group of the basic kathak syllables that usually start on sum (The first beat) and after two or more cycles end on sum. Toras have several varieties of rhythmic patterns.
22. Hand Movements – In that dance form some hand movements are there, called them “Hastaks”. Such as – “Utpatti”, “Naman”, “Sthir”, “Urdhva Hasta Chakra”, “Urdhva Kona Suchita”, “Madhya Hasta Chakra”, “Madhya Kona Suchita”, “Tala Hasta Chakra”, “Tala Kona Suchita”.
• Utpatti: – Utpatti means starting we start all the movements and the rhythms from this position.
Both hands brought near chest centre, first fingertips and thumb touching each other, palms facing downward. Almost all nritya hastas start from this position.
• Naman: – Both hands in loosely clapped position, 6 inches in front of chest centre, right palm over left. This is the main position of the hands for footwork.
• Sthir: – Sthir means no movement. After every rhythm we came back to the “sum” and we don’t move for few seconds until “Na Tin Tin Na” comes. That’s the “Sthir” position starts.
One hand remains at “Utpatti” position, the other extends firmly on one side of the body, palm facing down.
• Urdhva Hasta Chakra: – the hands move upwards from Utpatti with fingertips drooping down; fingers open outwards audience as palm faces up, wrist rotates in a half circle (clockwise for left and anti-clockwise for right) as if holding a plate, then hand glides down palm facing audience, back to Utpatti.We take our hands up, rotate our wrist in a circular motion forming a chakra i.e. urdhva hasta chakra. Urdhva means up hasta means hand and chakra is the rotational movement.
• Urdhva kona Suchita: – Hand travels from utpatti position diagonally upwards, as palm snaps open with a sharp, facing up.
When we through our wrist to the upper corner i.e. urdhva kona suchita. Urdhva means up kona means corner Suchita is this movement.
• Madhya Hasta Chakra: – Hand moves forward and outward, palm facing up, then gradually travels sideways, tracing a circular path, returning to Utpatti position.
We through our hands in the middle and rotate our wrist in a circular motion forming a chakra i.e. Madhya Hasta Chakra. Madhya means middle, Hasta means hand, Chakra is the rotational movement.
• Madhya Kona Suchita: – Hand moves out from Utpatti position, extends fully (shoulder level height), finger tips pointing out, palm facing up.
When we through our wrist the middle corner i.e. Madhya kona suchita. Madhya means middle, kona means corner and suchita is this movement.
• Tala Hasta Chakra: – Right wrist rolls down in front, palm facing audience, arm fully extended, then swings down word and backword as palm faces out, finally pulling back to Utpatti position as wrist turns in an at-clockwise half circle.
We take our hands down, rotate our wrist in a circular motion forming a chakra i.e. Tala hasta chakra. Tala means down, hasta means hand, chakra is the rotational movement.
• Tala Kona Suchita: – Arm moves from Utpatti position downward, snapping open in full extension (palm facing up).
When we through our wrist to the downward, corner i.e. Tala Kona Suchita. Tala means down, Kona means corner, Suchita is this movement.
CONCLUSION
If therefore we would bring out the most accurate summary of Kathak dance, then we won’t be wrong to consider it as a magnificent synthesization of rhythm, storytelling, and expression art that depicts Indian culture. In 22 key and magical lessons they learn how to appreciate this classical dance and its nuances, from choreography, and flowing steps to intriguing stories and spirit behind it. This delightful art form continues to enthrall audiences globally ensure that culture becomes timelessness even as it borrows from trends of the 21st century. Kathak Dance implies accepting a performing art that is still alive and has the ability to unite souls with spectacular and enriching performance and its historical and spiritual value.So, this is all for now, we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to share your experiences or questions in the comments below! and don’t forget to share them with friends and others who might benefit! Save Consumerviews in your bookmark for easy access, and follow our Facebook Page Consumerviews India for more attractive articles like this.
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