1Before the traditional Kathak performance starts a dancer generally pays tribute to God through Guru Vandana. A traditional Kathak performance starts with Aamad (means entrance) followed by Salami (saluting the audience). It then comprises of Thaat (stylised poses with movements of limbs by the dancer), Tukda (Single rotation of any tal (rhythm) or bol (rhythm) of lesser matra), Toda (group of the basic Kathak syllables that usually start on sam (the first beat) and after two or more cycles end on Sam), Tihai (footwork composition consisting of a long set of bols repeated thrice so that the very last bol ends dramatically on 'sam'), Paran (composition using bols from the pakhawaj instead of only dance or tabla bols), Parmelu (composition using bols reminiscent of sounds from nature), Tatkar (the movements of legs along with rhythm (taal) and tempo (lay)) and finally Gat-Nikas and Bhav for Abhinaya (acting).
