Kathak is a classical dance form from Northern India which is a partially narrative dance form characterized by fast footwork (tatkar), spins (chakkar) and innovative use of bhav in abhinaya . The name Kathak is derived from the Sanskrit word katthaka means who tells a story, or to do with stories. The story of Kathak begins in ancient times with the performances of professional story-tellers called kathakas who recited or sang stories from epics and mythology with some elements of dance. They had also used to mime and gesture for creating a dramatic effect. Gradually, this become more stylized and evolved into the dance form of Kathak. Gradually,that style had emerged and soon technical features like tatkar and bole developed and took the form of Kathak.
There are two aspects to this dance form- Nritta (Pure dance) and Nritya(Expressive dance). Nritta, refers to the technical, abstract aspect of the dance with a tremendous sense of rhythm and joy of movement .Where as a second part emphasize on the expressive part of Kasha . Where as Nritya or Abhinaya refers to the explanation of a story or a song through facial expressions, gestures of the hands and symbolic postures of the body. Among the various different classical Indian dance forms, Kathak holds a very special and distinguished place. It combines the essence of both Hindu and Islamic cultures into one. Kathak has 3 Gharanas(styles) : Jaipur, Lucknow and Benaras.
