 Chhandam School of Kathak Dance Founded in 1980 by Pandit Chitresh Das, Chhandam was the first school of Kathak dance in the U.S. Since its inception, Chitreshji has created an awareness of the art of Kathak dance throughout California and internationally.
Kathak, among the six major classical dances of India, is traditionally a solo performance art. The word kathak is derived from the word katha, meaning to tell stories. It is also synonymous with the community of artists of ancient India, known as kathakas, whose hereditary profession it was to narrate history while entertaining with dance, music and mime. From its early form as a religious expression of devotion to the Hindu gods, kathak gradually moved out of the temples and into the courts of the reigning rulers. It was in the courts that kathak became refined and the solo artists demonstrated rhythmic and technical virtuosity as well as great dramatic depth in storytelling. The four main elements of the kathak dance structure are khoobsurti (beauty and grace of movement), nazakat (the delicacy and subtlety of movement), tayari For more information please contact: Chhandam School of Kathak Dance Or call: (510) 845-2605
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(technical ability in crisp, fast footwork, swift turns and sharp, balanced poses) and laykari (deep rhythmic understanding and improvisational ability). Another realm of kathak dance, directly connected to its ancient origins, is abhinaya (expression). In a traditional, solo kathak performance, the dancer portrays all of the story's characters sequentially, moving from one character to another with a split-second spin. A kathak dancer must have the ability to portray all characters, male or female, convincingly and with emotional depth.