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Kathak Fundamentals

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279 views

Kathak Fundamentals

Uploaded by

san
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Kathak Fundamentals

Kathak as a dance form is recognized as India’s very unique traditional classical dance. Kathak Dance
is based on three important pillars –

 Katha or The Story


 Abhinaya or The Action
 Updesha or The Moral

There are two parts to the Kathak dance :

1. Nrit Paksh or Dance part: composed of That, Amod, Bol, Tode (Tore), Tukde (Tukre), Paran,
Tatkar
2. Abhinay Paksh or Action part :composed of Gatinikash, Gatbhav, Thmri, Bhav, Tarana or
Padavinay

The Dance Form:

The structure of a conventional Kathak performance usually moves from slow to fast, ending in a
climax. There are also compositions consisting solely of footwork. All compositions are performed so
that the final step and beat of the composition lands on the 'sam' or first beat of the time-cycle.
Most compositions also have 'bols' (rhythmic words) which serve both as mnemonics to the
composition and whose recitation also forms an integral part of the performance. The bols can be
borrowed from tabla (e.g. dha, ge, na, tirakiTa) or can be a dance variety (ta, thei, tat, ta ta, tigda,
digdig and so on). The performer engages in a play of taal, loy and sur.

 What is Laya?
Rhythm or tempo.
The uniform speed or rate of time-division by means of sounds, strokes or footwork is called Laya.
Kind of Laya: There are mainly 3 kinds of Laya:
1> Vilambit Laya: The slow tempo
2> Madhya Laya: The moderate or medium tempo
3> Drut Laya: The fast tempo

 What is Taal?
Taal is a group ("Vibhag") of certain beats ("Matras") and is a measurement of time in music.

 What is Matra?
Matra means beat. Matras are divisions in a time cycle and are smallest part of the Taal. The Taals
have been divided into "Vibhag" which have been sub-divided in Matras.
For example: The constant interval between the seconds in Laya, the time which measures sixty
minutes is Taal and the seconds are the beats.

 What is Khali?
Khali is a rest point of a Taal and is an indication of change of Vibhag. The word Khali means empty.
Khali is denoted by the sign 'O'.
 What is Vibhag?
The divisions of a Taal is called Vibhag. Vibhag is a set of Matras. The sign for Vibhag is a small
straight vertical line.

 What is Sam?
Sam is the first beat of any Taal and is accented more than any other beats. It is starting point of a
Taal and also returning point on the first beat after completing a time cycle. Sam is denoted by the
sign 'x'

 What is Taali?
Taali is also called Bhari. Taali means clapping. Besides Sum the other beats in a Tal on which we
clap.

 What is Tukra?
Tukra-Single rotation of any tal (rhythm) or bol (rhythm) of lesser matra is generally known as Tukra.

 What is Tatkaar?
The movements of legs along with rhythm (taal) and tempo (lay) is known as Tatkar. The word
"Tatkar" is about 700 years old. In Kathak dance the main syllables of Tatkar are: Ta thai thai tat, aa
thai thai tat. Kathak dancers usually perform many variations of this basic Tatkar.
TEENTAAL Tatkaar
Tatkaar is based on TEENTAAL or TINTAAL. Tintal has sixteen (16) beats in four equal divisions
(vibhag). The period between every two beats is equal. The first beat out of 16 beats is
called sam and the 9th beat is called khali ('empty'). To count the Teental, the audience claps on the
first beat, claps on the 5th beat, then waves on the 9th beat and lastly again claps on the 13th beat;
these three claps (Hindi tin 'three' + tāl 'clap') give the rhythm its name.

Theka: It has a characteristic pattern of bols (theka).

This can also be shown using the following figure

Taal signs X 2 0 3
Maatra 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Bols dha dhin dhin dha dha dhin dhin dha dha tin tin ta ta dhin dhin dha

Here goes the Tatkaar beats...

Ta thei thei tat... Aa thei thei tat...Ta thei thei tat... Aa thei thei tat
Dadra Tal

Kaherva Tal

Tukra

Taal signs X 2 0 3
Maatra 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Bols Tat tat tat tat Digada Dig Dig Thai Digada Dig Dig Thai Digada Dig Dig Thai

Taal
X 2 0 3
signs
Maatra 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Bols Tat tat Tram Thai Digada Dig Dig Thai Digada Dig Dig Thai Digada Dig Dig Thai

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