Adhering to the fundamentals of the Natya Shastra, Kathak, like Bharatanatyam, combines nritta (pure dance without an element of interpretation) and nritya (dance with interpretive meaning). It commences with an introductory prelude, which, from being an obeisance to the gods, had at one time almost degenerated into a salutation to the kings. The dance proper begins with a delightful overture of nritta. Beginning in slow tempo and involving a lot of exquisite eye, eyebrow, neck and wrist movements, these opening pieces become attractive media for the subtle presentation of the dancer to the onlookers. It is just a prelude to the more intricate dancing that follows, consisting of beautiful arabesques of body patterns and delightfully decorative head movements in varying and contrapuntal rhythms.
A Kathak program is made up of three main items:
1). Firstly 'amad', a dance salutation;
2). Secondly, a series of intricate and complex steps called 'torahs' ;
3). And finally 'gathas' or interpretation through gestures of fragmentary stories.
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