Dance…
CLASSICAL DANCE
Kathak
One who tells a story (Katha) with expository gestures and dance is a story teller (Kathakar) and the art of doing so is kathak. Kathak is found in three distinct forms, named after the cities where the Kathak dance tradition evolved – Jaipur, Banaras and Lucknow
Kathak has evolved from the time of Harappa civilization to the present .The Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh (Lucknow) was a true connoisseur of music, dance, an accomplished musician and kathak dancer. He has originated the thumri style of music and composed thumri in classical style. His court dancer Thakur Prasad and his sons are credited with the recreation of the expressional form of kathak.
The present Kathak is highly stylized, evolved and is a very versatile dance form of today.
CONTEMPORARY DANCE
Contemporary dance is a dance performance genre that developed during the mid twentieth century and has since grown to become one of the dominant genres for formally trained dancers throughout the world, with particularly strong popularity in the U.S. and Europe. Although originally informed by and borrowing from classical, modern, and jazz styles, it has since come to incorporate elements from many styles of dance. Due to its technical similarities, it is often perceived to be closely related to modern dance, ballet and other classical concert dance styles.