KATHAK

Kathak is one of the six major classical dances of India and one of the most dynamic theater arts in the world. The word Kathak is derived from katha, meaning “the art of storytelling”, one that needs no script or language, just music, dance and expression. It is also one of the most ancient forms of dance with its presence recorded in the times of great Indian epics, Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Kathak is known for its spellbinding footwork, brisk twirls and highly developed facial expressions. With a combination of all these dexterous attributes, Kathak never fails to impress and that’s probably one reason it has been passed by one generation to another for several centuries and still continues to be one of the most important Indian dance forms.

ABOUT THE TEACHER

Prabhati Banerjee was all of six when a dancer was born in her. Her passion for Kathak (one of the eight forms of Indian classical dance) achieved a new high when her teachers discovered her hidden talent. Gradually, she took lead in every function in school and became a regular on stage. One of the highpoints in Prabhati’s career was when she bagged an opportunity to perform for National television “Doordarshan”.

Like a dedicated student, she completed her Sangeet Praveen (Masters of Arts) and Sangeet Bhaskar in Kathak from Prayag Allahabad and Chandigarh respectively. ‘Kathak’ is derived from the Sanskrit term ‘katha’ which means ‘story’, and therefore ‘Kathak’ comes to stand for ‘that which tells a story’.

As a versatile performer she excels in other traditional forms of dance that include folk dances like Dandia, Gidda, Rabindrik and Bhao Nritya. Her magnificant repertoire in dance and choreography in Indian classical and semi-classical dances ‘tells the story’ of a compassionate and full of life dancer.