The success of Slumdog Millionaire accelerated a rapidly growing trend in the Western world: a fascination with all things Bollywood. We asked Kaamna Bhojwani-Dhawan, a Sydney-based Bollywood dance instructor (pictured), to share her insights … and direct us to the nearest Bollywood dance class.
Bollywood, or the Indian film industry which produces more movies a year than Hollywood, is known for its fantastical spectacles and unimaginably beautiful film stars.
Most metropolitan cities around the world offer Bollywood movies in mainstream cinemas. Consequently, Bollywood dance has emerged globally as both recreation and exercise. Why the sudden surge in popularity for an art form that has been around for decades, way before the Pussycat Dolls?
For starters, Bollywood music and films have always represented a departure from reality, enabling partakers to imagine themselves as the tempting vixen, the damsel in distress, or the six-pack bearing hero defeating evil in the name of good.
Few other dances in Western culture allow such unbridled displays of passion, seduction and love. But the beauty of Bollywood is that none of this occurs overtly: attraction is signalled through the fluttering of eyelids, lust by the thrust of hips, and love by promises of eternal commitment sung in verse.
The chartbuster Bollywood song of the ‘90s, “Choli Ke Peeche” epitomises this phenomenon: the chorus asks “What is in your blouse?”, and she responds with a flirty naiveté, “My heart is in my blouse”. This focus on sensuality over sexuality has tantalised Bollywood lovers the world over for years.
While Bollywood music and dance has strong roots in classical Indian traditions, Latin, Hip-hop, Jazz, Arabic and other international influences have made its beats and rhythms more accessible to a global audience.
Further, Bollywood songs can be fast and clubby, or slow and grounded, appealing to varied tastes and moods, enabling you to engage different senses and muscles. The wildly popular Indian folk dance, Bhangra, is fast-paced and a guaranteed cardiovascular workout.
Bollywood dance classes in Australia
Today, all over Australia, people are frantically booking Bollywood classes for hen’s nights, couple bonding, team building, corporate events, special occasions, or just for fun and to learn a new skill.
Whatever your need or level, you can find a Bollywood class to suit your preferences. Most dance schools offer a Bollywood lesson or two, and more and more nightclubs are hosting “Bollywood Nights” so you can practise your new moves. So join in the current craze and immerse yourself in the exotic wonders of Bollywood dance!
Kaamna Bhojwani-Dhawan is a Bollywood dance instructor at Dance Central in Surry Hills, Sydney.
She is offering two workshops in June: Women only on the Sunday the 6th from 11-1pm, and couples on the 19th from 2-4pm.
You can also attend her regular class at Dance Central on Fridays from 5:30 -6:30pm. Further information can be found at: www.dancecentral.com.au. She also offers private lessons for weddings or other events. Contact her at kaamna@gmail.com
For a list of Bollywood dance schools in other states, check out: www.infoindya.com/services/musicdance.aspx
