Kathak Dance

Kathak is a classical dance style of northern India. Kathak derives its name from the word Katha, which means the art of story-telling. The Kathak dancer was originally a story-teller, conveying the ancient stories and legends of Hindu mythology in the temples of the Braj region.

With the coming of the Moghul emperors and the influence of Islamic culture, the content and presentation of Kathak dance changed and developed, being introduced as a form of entertainment in the courts and evolving into a pure dance form.

Kathak is characterised by fast spins, by finely detailed movements and by intricate footwork, which is enhanced by the sound of more then 100 ankle bells. Passages of dramatic interpretation based on themes from Persian and Urdu poetry exist alongside the dances of Hindu mythology.