KathakPrepared by KalaSudha
Intermediate Kathak
Intermediate Kathak, prepared by KalaSudha: tatkar density, turn entries, tukras in two cycles, parans and tihais, gat bhav, song interpretation and upaj.
- Your path
- 9–15 months
- Modules
- 2A–2C
- Lessons
- One-to-one or in a group
- Ends in
- A KalaSudha certificate
সারসংক্ষেপ
About Intermediate
Intermediate Kathak broadens your repertoire and deepens your interpretation once your Foundation milestones are met. You enter after Foundation or a placement against its milestones. It is the second level of the Kathak course prepared by KalaSudha. As a typical guide, Intermediate takes 9–15 months, and you agree the pace with your teacher.
Module 2A develops tatkar through single, double, triple and quadruple density, ang coordination, turn entries in context and a second thaat and amad. Module 2B expands to six tukras, two in the suggested Jhaptal, two parans with a simple chakradar and three tihais, including bedam and damdar treatment. You also trade short footwork exchanges with a teacher or accompanist and recover after a displaced entry.
Read the full overviewকম দেখান
Module 2C turns to narrative and upaj, bounded improvisation. You develop two gat nikas into one gat bhav, interpret a song line by line and compare the Jaipur, Lucknow, Banaras and Raigarh gharanas through sourced examples. In a cohort, an elective duet has you exchange two characters with a partner on a shared spatial plan.
Electives include gharana studies with material a practitioner approves. The level ends with a fifteen-minute set including five minutes of expression and leads to a KalaSudha award (see certificates). Ask about Intermediate in the Academy.
Modules
The three Intermediate modules
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2A
Module 2A: Coordination, technique and development
8 core + 4 teacher-setfrom 16 topics
Review your preparation and correct a recurring habit from video. Develop tatkar through four densities and coordinate hands, gaze and body. Connect turns to a composition and expand to two thaats and two amads.-
Placement and Physical Self-ReviewCore
Check Foundation evidence and review preparation and movement habits.
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Tatkar, Sound and DensityCore
Develop tatkar through single, double, triple and quadruple density at a controlled base pulse.
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Ang Coordination and Movement QualityCore
Coordinate hands, gaze and body movement through a teacher-selected study.
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Turn Sequences in ContextCore
Connect teacher-approved turns to a composition with a controlled exit.
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Developing Thaat and AmadCore
Expand the cumulative repertoire to two thaats and two amads.
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Musical Phrase and MovementCore
Distinguish heard melodic phrases and align movement to their phrasing.
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Guided Technique RehearsalCore
Review the technique sequence and isolate a measurable weakness.
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Module 2A PresentationCore
Present the coordinated technique and expanded opening repertoire.
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Extended Coordination Drillঐচ্ছিক
Combine hands, gaze and footwork in a longer study and learn to find and fix faults in it.
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Additional Turn Transitionঐচ্ছিক
Join turns smoothly to the phrases before and after them, building on the turn technique you already have.
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Footwork Dynamic Contrastঐচ্ছিক
Learn to control how loud your feet sound, so volume becomes a deliberate choice in your footwork.
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Movement Annotationঐচ্ছিক
Learn to mark movement on a video so that another dancer could follow your sequence from it.
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Jaipur Supplied Footwork Studyঐচ্ছিক
Learn a footwork study supplied by a Jaipur practitioner, with its bols and the way it is danced.
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Lucknow Thaat Studyঐচ্ছিক
Study a Lucknow thaat supplied by a practitioner, with attention to its pauses and ang.
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Banaras Natawari Phraseঐচ্ছিক
Learn a natawari phrase from the Banaras line as a practitioner supplies it, speaking it first and then dancing it.
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Raigarh Composition Entryঐচ্ছিক
Learn an extract from a Raigarh composition supplied by a practitioner and where it comes from.
Your teacher fills 4 slots from the electives, their own topics or both.
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2B
Module 2B: Compositions, tala and layakari
8 core + 4 teacher-setfrom 16 topics
Review notation, then expand to six tukras across two cycles. Learn two parans with a simple chakradar and three tihais. Clap and recite the suggested Jhaptal and Ektal, and complete footwork exchanges with a partner.-
Rhythm and Notation ReviewCore
Review learnt notation and recite the principal cycle before adding compositions.
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Six Tukras Across Two CyclesCore
Expand the cumulative repertoire to six tukras, including two in the proposed additional cycle.
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Paran and Chakradar IntroductionCore
Learn two parans, including one simple teacher-approved chakradar construction.
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Three Tihais and Their PlacementCore
Learn three cumulative tihais including bedam and damdar treatment.
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Additional Tala UnderstandingCore
Study the proposed additional practical cycle and recite a further cycle.
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Responsive Footwork with a PartnerCore
Develop short exchanges with a teacher or accompanist without losing the underlying cycle.
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Guided Rhythmic RehearsalCore
Rehearse compositions across the two proposed practical cycles.
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Module 2B Presentation and Written CheckCore
Present the rhythmic repertoire and explain its composition structures.
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Additional Ektal Studyঐচ্ছিক
Learn a composition in Ektal, as proposed, and how it divides across the cycle.
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Tihai Variation Clinicঐচ্ছিক
Learn a counted tihai template from your teacher and build your own variation inside it.
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Bol Sight Readingঐচ্ছিক
Build your reading of bol notation so that new patterns can go from the page to your feet.
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Composition Recoveryঐচ্ছিক
Practise keeping a composition going after an interruption, picking up where you are rather than starting again.
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Jaipur Paran Studyঐচ্ছিক
Learn a Jaipur paran your teacher approves, speaking its bols aloud first and then dancing them.
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Lucknow Tukra Treatmentঐচ্ছিক
Learn a Lucknow tukra as your teacher dances it, paying attention to the shape and flow of each phrase.
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Banaras Syllable-to-Movement Studyঐচ্ছিক
Work with two natawari syllable groups from the Banaras line and the movement your teacher assigns to each.
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Raigarh Chakradar Studyঐচ্ছিক
Learn a supplied Raigarh chakradar extract and how it is counted through the cycle.
Your teacher fills 4 slots from the electives, their own topics or both.
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2C
Module 2C: Narrative, interpretation and upaj
8 core + 4 teacher-setfrom 17 topics
Develop two gat nikas into a gat bhav and interpret a chosen song. Compare two accompaniment ragas and four gharanas. Respond to an unfamiliar prompt with bounded upaj, then present a fifteen-minute set.-
Repertoire and Practice AuditCore
Review the cumulative portfolio and plan correction of an interpretive weakness.
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Gat Nikas and Narrative DevelopmentCore
Develop two cumulative gat nikas into one coherent gat bhav.
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Interpreting a SongCore
Develop a second expressive study through the text and musical phrasing of a chosen song.
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Raga and Accompaniment UnderstandingCore
Compare the reference swaras and characteristic phrases of two taught accompaniment ragas.
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Four Gharanas in PerformanceCore
Compare sourced examples from Jaipur, Lucknow, Banaras and Raigarh.
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Guided Upaj and InteractionCore
Respond to an unfamiliar rhythmic or narrative prompt with a bounded improvisation.
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Guided Intermediate ProgrammeCore
Rehearse a fifteen-minute set combining rhythmic and expressive work.
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Intermediate Portfolio and VivaCore
Present the programme and demonstrate all sixteen Intermediate milestones.
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Sung Text and Talaঐচ্ছিক
Bring your voice into your rhythm work with a passage your teacher chooses, an optional study for those preparing for examinations.
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Duet Interpretationঐচ্ছিক
Work with a partner on a short duet in which the story passes between two characters.
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Second Song Interpretationঐচ্ছিক
Learn a second song study that contrasts with your first, and what the song is about.
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Performance Review Writingঐচ্ছিক
Learn to write a performance review that points to exact moments in a recording and names its sources.
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Jaipur Kavitt Studyঐচ্ছিক
Study a Jaipur kavitt supplied by a practitioner, its text and how it is danced.
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Lucknow Gat Bhav Studyঐচ্ছিক
Learn an approved Lucknow gat bhav study and the way it builds character and intention.
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Banaras Angika Studyঐচ্ছিক
Study angika, expression through the whole body, in a piece from the Banaras line supplied by a practitioner.
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Raigarh Repertoire Comparisonঐচ্ছিক
Hear two attributed Raigarh compositions side by side with your teacher and learn a passage that shows how they differ.
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Narrative Sequencingঐচ্ছিক
Explore how the order of moments shapes a story by reworking three supplied scenes into a new study.
Your teacher fills 4 slots from the electives, their own topics or both.
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Why Intermediate
What Intermediate builds
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Repertoire across two cycles
Expand to six tukras, two parans and three tihais, with tukras in the suggested Jhaptal as well as in Teentaal. -
Narrative and song
Develop two gat nikas into one gat bhav, then interpret a song line by line with accurate musical entries. -
Bounded improvisation
Answer an unfamiliar rhythmic or narrative prompt with a short upaj that keeps the cycle or the meaning.
Lessons
Ways to learn
One-to-one
Learn at your own pace. You book online lessons through KalaSudha in your own time zone.
Register interest in 1:1 lessonsIn a group
Learn in a group on a timetable.
Ask about group lessonsQuestions
Questions about Intermediate
Entry, pace, assessment and what you show to finish the level.
Intermediate Kathak starts after Foundation or a placement against its milestones. You should dance clear tatkar in changing densities, an amad, three tukras and a simple tihai arriving on sam, a stepped turn and a gat nikas.
You should also have a short abhinaya study and be able to read and write bols.
Kathak parans and further tihais come in module 2B of Intermediate. You learn two parans, one with a simple chakradar construction your teacher approves, and explain its repeated sections.
You also learn three tihais, including bedam and damdar treatment, notate their gaps and arrive on sam in performance.
Kathak gat bhav and song interpretation come in module 2C of Intermediate. You develop two gat nikas into one coherent gat bhav with clear character and spatial changes.
You then interpret a chosen song: you explain each line and perform four minutes with distinct intentions and accurate musical entries.
The Intermediate level of the Kathak course ends with fifteen continuous minutes, including at least five minutes of expression, plus your complete portfolio and live questions. You also give a short written or dictated explanation with examples.
Four live exchanges, including a changed cue and your recovery from it, test responsiveness. Every Intermediate milestone must be met, and no averaging makes up for one that is not.
Still have questions?
Our support team can help you find the right answer.
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