You’ve probably noticed “Bollywood” dance featured on television dance competitions. And, Indian dance choreography appears more frequently in the concert and video performances of Western artists. Now, Bollywood dance classes are popping up in studios throughout Europe and the US.

Some people reference any form of Indian dance as “Bollywood.” But, do you know what “Bollywood” actually is, and where it came from?

“Bollywood” Dance Origins

Today, the term “Bollywood” often refers to the style of dance that is used in Indian films. But originally,

Bollywood in Pictures - BBC Feature

“Bollywood” referred to the film industry of Bombay, not specifically to a form of dance.

Bombay, now Mumbai, is the capital of India’s film industry. Mumbai, as the Hollywood of India, releases a huge number of films each year, about three per day, according to a BBC estimate.

India’s film industry began officially in 1913, and the history of this industry is, in itself, long and complicated. But one important development came in the 1930s when Indian filmmakers were able to add sound to their movies.

With sound, Indian filmmakers added one of the most important trademarks of modern Bollywood films: dancing.

Musical Bollywood films often feature several—three, four, or more—complicated group dance sequences, complete with song and bright costumes. Because dancing is so important in a Bollywood production, the style of dance that is used in these films has come to be known as, simply, Bollywood dance.

Bollywood Fusion

Bollywood dance, today, combines traditional Indian dance styles with the choreography of Western styles like modern, jazz, and hip-hop. In the 1980s and 1990s, Western music videos reached India, and the dancers choreographing Indian films adapted many moves from the music videos of Western artists.

One traditional Indian style that is frequently used in Bollywood choreography is called Bhangra. For many people outside of India, Bhangra is now tied to Bollywood dance. But really, Bhangra has a long cultural history of its own, beginning hundreds of years ago as a style of folk art in India’s Punjab region.

Before Bollywood

As Bollywood dance gets more popular, we are also seeing classical Indian dance groups spring up throughout the world. These groups are often founded by dancers who want to teach that the art of Indian dance includes much more than just Bollywood.

Many Bhangra groups and classes exist in the West, largely because Bhangra is tied so closely to Bollywood dance. Boston Bhangra is one American group that wants to preserve an appreciation for the cultural origins of Indian dance. MIT Bhangra, or Noor-e-Punjab, is a group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that, similarly, wants to teach traditional Bhangra and Punjab culture.

Bhangra, of course, isn’t the only form of classical Indian dance. At Dancing For The Gods, dancer, choreographer, and teacher Preeti Vasudevan works to preserve Bharatanatyam, one of India’s most important classical dance forms. And, the Centre for Indian Classical Dance supports dancers who practice styles such as Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Kathakali, Mohiniattam, Manipuri, Odissi, and Kuchipudi.

Bollywood Body

Many people are drawn to Bollywood dance classes for the fast-paced aerobic movements and the upbeat music. As with many hip-hop dance classes, Bollywood dance instructors often offer a new routine during each class, teaching basic dance moves while delivering a challenging, fun aerobic workout.

Fitness is often the goal of students in Bollywood dance classes. They want to stay in shape and have a good time while enjoying dance. However, some studios offer more intensive Indian dance workshops for students who want to go beyond Bollywood dancing.

Bollywood Dance Not Barred by Culture

Because Bollywood dance is a fusion of Indian and Western dance styles, a number of Bollywood dance instructors throughout the world have learned Bollywood outside of India. They were not born into the Indian

culture that created this dance form.

Sheena Brabazon in Anston in South Yorkshire, England, UK is one such dancer, who began teaching Bollywood and Bhangra after becoming interested in these forms herself. Brabazon’s classes at Every Dance in Sheffield, were in high demand when the International Indian Film Academy Awards took place in Yorkshire in 2007. Brabazon teaches several types of Indian dance and dance fitness classes that are based in Bollywood or Bhangra styles.

Classes in the Dances of India

If you’re interested in learning Bollywood dance, you can drop into one of many dance classes that offer a combination of Bollywood, Bhangra, and aerobic dance workout moves. Many of these classes are taught by instructors who also perform Bollywood dance at weddings or public events.

To learn about classical Indian dance forms, you can begin your research with the Centre for Indian Classical Dance. At their website, you can learn about the individual styles of Indian classical dance, and you can visit their YouTube page to see examples of these styles.

More Sources:

• “Bhangra: Punjabi Beats Go Global” by Asia Source
• NDM Bollywood Dance Studios and Productions
• “Introduction to Bhangra” from Punjab online
• Thresh Dance - classical Indian dance theatre

Photo Sources:

• Bollywood in Pictures - BBC Feature
• MIT Bhangra
• NDM Studios - NDM Performance