One of the eight major forms of Indian classical dance, Kathak’s origin is traditionally attributed to the traveling bards of ancient northern Indian who were known as Kathakars or storytellers. The name derived from the Vedic Sanskrit word Katha meaning ‘story’, and Kathakar meaning ‘the narrator’, or ‘to do with stories’. The dancers of Kathak, whose ghungroo tied feet match rhythmically with the beat of the tabla and bol, tell stories through their hand movements and extensive footwork, their body movements and flexibility but most importantly through their facial expressions. This traditional dance evolved during the Bhakti movement, particularly by incorporating the childhood and stories of the Lord Krishna, as well as independently in the courts of north Indian kingdoms. It is found in three distinct forms, called ‘gharanas’, named after the cities where the Kathak dance tradition evolved – Jaipur, Banaras and Lucknow.   For More Information click here