Kathak: Indian Classical Dance

            A student’s training begins with tatkar, footwork, and he or she must practice for several hours a day. The student practices “without the help of table or sarangi—holding the lehra in his or her mind, but they do wear ghungurus”. The ankle-bells, which are made out of brass, can bruise the dancer around the ankle but eventually, the dancer will get used to them. “Tatkar is also hard on the shins and the calf muscles” but is good exercise and builds strength in those muscles from constant practice. He or she also has to “master the many tals and learn innumerable metrical patterns…memorizing the boles or rhythmic syllables”.