Kathak

Displaying 1 - 10 of 29

Kathak and Thumri: In Conversation with Vidya Rao

Siddhi Goel

Siddhi Goel: दीदी, the word thumri comes from ठुमका and thus contains suggestions of dance. Then, is thumri one genre or two genres? Is it just singing, or both singing and dancing? Vidya Rao: नैना जी कहती थीं, 'ठुमक के रिझाना', हमेशा यही सुना है. You see there was a time when people were…

in Interview

Looking for the Origins of Kathak: A Journey from the 16th to 20th Century

Siddhi Goel

‘The variety of dance items and movement patterns within today’s Kathak are witness to its syncreticism - this is not an art form that can be traced to a single origin but a recent and ongoing fusion of a number of north Indian performance traditions.’ - Margaret Walker Although it is commonly…

in Article

Kathak: Aesthetics, History and Influences

Siddhi Goel

Kathak is commonly regarded as one of the seven classical dances of India and is the only one from North India. Kathak has been enriched greatly by the contributions of musicians, dancers, professional women artists and court and landlord patronage. Big and small courts at Lucknow, Benaras,…

in Overview

In Conversation with Aditi Mangaldas

Siddhi Goel

I met Aditi Mangaldas at her residence. I had gone prepared with a list of questions. My questions ranged from her entry into the dance world, to the interiorisation of her process, to communicating the innermost vulnerabilities, anxieties on stage, to the secret to her infinite energy. As we sat…

in Interview

Kathak: Postures, Costumes and Mudras