Welcome to our beginner’s guide to Kathak dance! If you’re just starting your journey into the world of Kathak, it’s essential to get familiar with its basic terms. In this easy-to-understand blog post, we’ve gathered a list of the top 10 Kathak Terms for Beginners that every new dancer should know. From terms like ‘Taal’ (rhythm) to ‘Ekgun’ and ‘Chaugun’ (different rhythmic counts), this guide aims to introduce you to the core elements of Kathak, laying the groundwork for your exciting dance adventure.
Introduction to Kathak in 5 sentences:-
- Kathak is a renowned classical dance form of North India.
- The word “Kathak” means a storyteller. It is said, “Katha Kare So Kathak Khawe,” which implies the one who narrates a story is a Kathak dancer.
- The origin of Kathak is traced back to Valmiki, who, through music, taught the Ramayana to Luv and Kush.
- In ancient times, Kathak dancers were known as “KusiLove.”
- During ancient times, these Kathak artists were appointed in temples where they presented mythological stories to the public through the medium of dance and music.
A Beginner’s Guide to Kathak Vocabulary:-
- Laya: The speed of time spent in music is called rhythm. Laya has three types-
- Vilambit Laya
- Madhya Laya
- Drut Laya
Vilambit Laya: When the activities of singing, dancing, or playing instruments are performed slowly, the type of tempo is called “Vilambit Laya” in music.
Madhya Laya: When the activities of singing, dancing, or playing instruments are not too fast or too slow but performed at a moderate tempo, it is referred to as “Madhya Laya” in music.
Drut Laya: When the activities of singing, dancing, or playing instruments are performed at an extremely fast pace, it is referred to as “Drut Laya” in music.
- Taal: The measure of the pace of time is termed as “Taal” in music.
- Matra: In music, the smallest unit of time is referred to as “Matra” (Beat).
- Vibhaag: In each taal, the defined beats are subdivided into sections known as Vibhag.
- Taali – Khaali: In each rhythmic cycle, “taali” and “Khaali” are used to specify divisions. “Taali” is a clap used to signify division, while “Khaali” is waving a hand on one side to indicate a division.
- Avartan: When you complete a full cycle from the first beat (matra) to the last beat in a taal and then return to the first beat again, it’s called one cycle or “avartan” of that particular taal.
- Sam: The first beat of any time cycle, which is often Taali and is also known as the “sum” or “sam,” is referred to as the starting point of that taal.
- Theka: The basic bols or syllables of any rhythm’s composition are referred to as “Theka” in tabla playing.
- Tihai: When a small piece repeats three times and ends on the starting beat (sam), it is called a “Tihai.”
- Egun or Thah: When one beat is used within a single unit of time, it’s called “Ekgun” or “Thah.”
- Dugun: When two beats are used within a single unit of time, it’s referred to as “Dugun” or “Double.”
- Chaugun: When four beats are used within a single unit of time, it’s referred to as “Chaugun”
The significant symbols or signs in notations:-
x – First Taali if it is Sam
0 – Khaali (waving of a hand)
S – It represents a micro beat.
( – To represent how many bols are written under one beat.
About the Author: – Neha Khunteta
Neha Khunteta is a highly experienced Kathak dancer and trainer with over 15 years of experience. She is the founder of Kathak By Neha, one of the Best Kathak Dance Academies. With her profound expertise and experience, Neha has established herself as one of the foremost educators in Kathak.
If you are interested in learning more about Kathak dance or finding out about Neha’s upcoming workshops and classes, please visit her website or contact her through the details provided in the blog.
Should you require further assistance or insights, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us through the following channels: contact us on
Email: neha@kathakbyneha.in or contact: +91-8619116616
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