kathak costume

Kathak costume vary among Kathak performers, and find their sources in either Hindu or Muslim culture. it is one of the Indian classical dance

The Hindu costume for female dancers has two variations.One is based on a Sari, but is worn in a style different from the customary style that goes over the left shoulder. A Kathak artist generally wraps the sari around the waist and it hangs down from the left. A blouse called choli covers the upper body.The artist may wear a scarf (called orhni in some places). Hair, face, ear, neck, hand, wrist and ankle jewellery, typically of gold, may adorn the artist. A tika or Bindi in the middle of forehead is common. The second variation of a Hindu Kathak dancer uses a long, full (just above the ankle), light-weight skirt usually with embroidered border that helps highlight the dance motion. The skirt is contrasted with a different color choli, and a transparent scarf typically drapes over it and the dancer's head. Jewelry is typically present in the second variation.

According To History Of Kathak , The Muslim costume for female dancers also uses a skirt, but includes close fitting churidar payjama and sometimes a long coat covering hands and the upper body. The head has a cover scarf and the jewelry is light.

The Hindu costume for male Kathak performers is typically a silk Dhoti draped around the waist, and covered with a silk scarf tied over the top. The upper body is usually left bare or with only the Hindu thread, but is sometimes covered with a loose sleeveless jacket. Kathak male artists also wear jewelry, but often of stones and much simpler than the female artists.

The beauty of Kathak lay in its beautiful Kathak costume that provided the spontaneity, and a refreshing freedom from uniformity with improvisation and innovations. Known for its swift rhythmic movements, the kathak dance in stunning Kathak dress is performed with incredible speed to culminate in a gracious posture.

Kathak Dance Requirements

like any other traditional Indian dance is a combination of stunning costume, jewellery and make-up. The Kathak costumes were initially ghaghra (long skirt), Choli (Blouse) and a veil. Gradually, it gave way to churidhar, pyjamas and angrakha and finally a sari for women. For the men, the Odissi dance costume is the Dhoti.

A traditional Kathak Dance Requirements & Kathak costume or kathak dress , Saree is worn up in a tied-up style to allow greater freedom of movement during the dance. Apart from sarees with attractive blouses, woman Kathak dancers also on occasions wear lehenga-choli with an optional odhni or veil. Some dancers adopt the Mughal costume, which consists of an angarkha, tightly fitting above the waist and the skirt portion explicitly cut on the round, supplemented by the churidar on the legs. For the men kathak dancers it could be either a dhoti with a pleated or frilled cloth hanging from the waist to the knees OR the Mughal period kathak dance cosume of kurta churidars with caps. The

Kathak dance dress

for male and female dancers are usually in bright shades of orange, red or green.

Kathak dance jewellery are mainly ornaments of gold and silver for head, arms, hands, fingers, waist ,feet, and the small ankle bells also called as ghungroos, that help in dancing many complex patterns which are a hallmark of Kathak.

The Adarsha Dress Palace offers as well as rents the entire range of Kathak dance requirements, including Kathak dance costumes, make-up and jewellery. Kathak make-up offered has all, right from hair to the toe, various styles and types of accessories that go hand in hand with the dance performance. Adarsha also provides for tailor made Kathak dance dresses in various patterns and contemporary designs.

A well done Kathak costume along with perfect jewellery goes a long way in enhancing the performance of a Kathak dance.