Abhinaya Themes in Indian Classical Kathak Dance: a Contextual Reading in Relation to Pre-modern and Modern Indian Society

This book deals with a contextual analysis of Kathak dance in relation to the differences between pre-modern Indian society with its modern times. With theoretical perspectives about thematic trends in dance, the traditional repertoire of Kathak performance in a socio-religious context is analyzed to study its growth and development. The discussion in various chapters tries to show how perception of art is affected by its divergence of context in various times in which it is presented. It also analyses how different social institutions, culture, tradition and religious systems of a society that can be understood by studying the dance-form practised during those times in society. A practice- based choreographic project facilitates readers of different cultural background other than the Indian audience to understand both universality and limitation of Kathak styles. In spite of its focus on Kathak dance the author's scholarly treatment of theory and practice serves both the student and practitioner of any dance-form to take inspiration for socio-cultural research in any context of time.