Kathak (Hindi: ???, Urdu: ????) is a classical dance form from South Asia (originally from North India) and is the national dance of Pakistan. It is a partially narrative and originally solo dance form characterized by fast footwork, spins and innovative use of expressions to portray narratives. Its form today is the product of various influences in the past: mythological tales portrayed by kathakas or ancient itinerant bards, temple and ritual dance, the bhakti movement, and Persian influence of the Mughal courts from the 16th century onwards; and the impact of these elements continues to readily discernible. 
There are three major schools or gharanas of Kathak from which performers today generally draw their lineage: the gharanas of Jaipur, Lucknow and Banaras (born in the courts of the Kachwaha Rajput kings, the Nawab of Oudh, and Varanasi respectively); there is also a less prominent (and later) Raigarh gharana which amalgamated technique from all three preceding gharanas but became famous for its own distinctive compositions.The name Kathak is derived from the Sanskrit word katha meaning story, and katthaka in Sanskrit means s/he who tells a story, or to do
with stories. The name of the form is properly katthak, with the geminated dental to show a derived form, but this has since simplified to modern-day kathak. kathaa kahe so kathak is a saying many teachers pass on to their pupils, which is generally translated, 's/he who tells a story, is a kathak', but which can also be translated, 'that which tells a story, that is Kathak'