Bollywood dance is a style I fell in love with when I lived in London where I discovered an Indian nightclub. I quickly learnt the iconic ‘Lightbulb’ move and before I knew it I was wiggling my hips and singing along in Hindi, not having a clue what the words meant! Like Charleston it is a fun and cheeky dance which doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Born from the Bollywood film industry the dance blends classical Indian dance styles with R&B and hip hop to make a energetic, flirtatious and fun dance. There are no defined rules in Bollywood but you do get to explore some of the facial expressions and gestures that come from classical Indian dance.
Having styled it out at the nightclub I discovered a wonderful teacher called Polly Rae, she wasn’t Indian but she danced with a Bollywood troupe and her upbeat manner really brought the dance to life. I remember she would say “Bollywood is cheesy, come on let’s enjoy the cheese” as we all danced with massive grins on our faces.
In India, I was really lucky to work with another teacher called Archana Sufiana a mesmerising dancer and performer. Her in depth knowledge of classical Indian and Indian folk dance really helped bring the narrative of each dance piece alive. I picked up so many little nuances from her in terms of hand positions, using the eyes and the face to tell story. Together we did a number of performances which challenged me as a dancer but were so such fun to do.
If you’re wondering about the level then I would say Bollywood is a good entry level dance as you can use simple moves in a way which looks effective. It’s very cardio, with some slightly silly moves that just make you giggle. I am currently very excited about the move in this routine which I’ve called “Karate Chopping Crab” you’ll know it when you see it!
I’ve been teaching Bollywood for over 8 years at Festivals and for Hen Parties. It’s always a winner. I know it might feel like a massive genre leap to go from Charleston to Bollywood but these two styles have much in common. So if you want to smile from ear to ear, do the lightbulb and flirt a little bit through dance please join us for the next 4 week online course starting on the 14 July 7pm.
Fiona