This dance form was primarily a temple ritual but was later altered to the royal court entertainment by the Persian and Mughal influences. Kathak was initially very similar to Bharatanatyam. This dance form originated in the North. The word kathak derived from "Katha", literally means story teller. Music and dance were used by story tellers to illuminate the story while attacking the sensibilities of the audience. This took the form of Kathkalakshepam and Harikatha in Southern India, and the form of Kathak in the North. Around the 15th century, the dance form underwent a drastic transition due to the influence of Mughal dance and music. By the sixteenth century, the tight churidar pyjama became the staple attire of a Kathak dancer.

Kathak focuses more on footwork as compared to the hasta mudras or hand movements in Bharatanatyam. The dances are performed straight-legged and the ankle bells (ghungaroos) worn by the dancers are adeptly controlled. The costumes and themes of these dances are often similar to those in Mughal miniature paintings.