How To Learn Bollywood Dance

Learn Bollywood Trip the light fantastic from an Expert

Rachel Hanson

Performing equally a trained dancer for twelve years, Rachel took her dearest for move and transitioned it into creating custom choreography for several theater groups in her region.

Choreographer

Rabia Mir is a Bollywood dancer, teacher, and choreographer with feel in all aspects of this pop dance genre. Specializing in this i type of dance, Rabia has made a career out of teaching her art to others.

Spotlight on Rabia Mir

LoveToKnow (LTK): What is your dance feel and grooming, and what do you currently do in the dance earth?

Rabia Mir (RM): "What is your preparation" is the near popular question I become after I perform, or after my students perform. Earlier I teach/perform, few people intendance what my background is. In their eyes, every bit long as I exercise a decent dance and their kids take fun, the audience is happy. I go the question the well-nigh after performances because people are always amazed past my grace. My reply never fails to stupor the audience: "none."

I had no training in another trip the light fantastic toe genre! I didn't nourish classical trip the light fantastic classes or train with gurus or nourish dance camps like other instructors around me. I truly merely have a love for trip the light fantastic toe. I started as a immature girl dancing in my room and copying moves from Bollywood movies. I joined a trip the light fantastic toe team in loftier schoolhouse and performed at nigh every family effect with friends. My friends taught me their moves and I taught them mine. I became famous in my community for my dancing skills.

I auditioned to teach at a Bollywood dancing school and was accustomed. I taught there for v years, but even after I quit, many parents left the school and followed me and asked me to teach their kids privately. In college, I was accustomed on one of George Washington University's South Asian trip the light fantastic teams and competed nationally, where I further refined my skills. I at present only teach privately and have a regular stream of income through people interested in learning dances for functions. I do not advertise at all. I operate merely on discussion-of-mouth, as nearly in the metropolitan Washington D.C. expanse know of my name.

Bollywood Dance and Instruction

LTK: What are the elements of Bollywood dancing?

RM: Bollywood dancing involves a lot of hand moving and hip shaking. Footwork tends to be more basic. Because Bollywood dancing is usually interim out a story (the words of the vocal), more emphasis is put on the hands. Experienced dancers also make facial expressions and may fifty-fifty take some moves with their head and neck. Bollywood songs tend to take a chorus, which is usually when the same moves are repeated. Otherwise, about other moves are quite different throughout the vocal. Bollywood dancing can be done in a group or alone. There are traditional styles and more contemporary styles that comprise hip hop, middle eastern, and other styles of dance moves. Equally Bollywood songs become more than contemporary, so do the moves.

LTK: Where tin can you acquire Bollywood dancing?

RM: You lot can YouTube it and practice alongside dancers online. This is a fun way to acquire because not merely do you learn the Bollywood manner, only also the trip the light fantastic toe moves that you have seen and loved in movies from the genre. Excellent trip the light fantastic toe scenes similar Dola Re Dola from the movie Devdas testify shut ups of fantastic dancing, both in mode and in steps. If you lot watch scenes like this over and over again, you will selection upward not only the moves, merely also learn the rhythms that are common in Bollywood dancing. Select single moves from the video and break them down. Of course, this is easier for experienced dancers to practise than consummate beginners, but even for beginners this can piece of work well if you have the time to watch advisedly and repeat viewings. Try to learn a few basic steps, either online or in a form to assist you lot decipher these famous dance scenes.

You tin likewise search for local classes. In that location are many available on the E Coast, as well as in California. Look for classes not only at dance studios, but besides at universities, cultural and artistic centers, and even at fitness establishments. Many gyms besides have Bollywood Aerobics now, which is non strictly dancing, but incorporates elements that will be used in Bollywood dancing. Some gyms may have instructors that are more experienced with Bollywood dancing than others.

LTK: What kind of movements do you have to larn and perfect?

RM: Once you get 1 or 2 moves for footwork down, the hands are quite simple to learn. Virtually routines are quite repetitive, which has the result that the audience continues to watch in awe while the dancers are simply repeating moves they take already performed a few times. Bollywood is very graceful dancing so it'southward merely a matter of looking smooth as opposed to sloppy. This genre is actually 1 that looks harder than information technology is! Once the moves are broken downward, anyone tin acquire. Fifty-fifty my 3 year old students learn some routines within an hour.

Dance Details

LTK: What is the part of costuming and props in Bollywood dance?

RM: Costuming and props fit the story and the scene. If the song is in the rain, the props will be umbrellas and the dress will be wet. This is part of the appeal of Bollywood: yous get a sort of transparent simplicity that is joyful. In some means it is like the earliest movie musicals from Hollywood considering the singers and dancers burst into song at some surprising moments.

Color is also important. Yous'll see great amounts of vivid colors in the beautiful costuming that usually goes with Bollywood dancing.

LTK: How is Bollywood different and akin for male and female person dancers?

RM: There are unlike moves for males and females fifty-fifty though some of the steps are the aforementioned. The styling is dissimilar based on the gender of the dancer; for example males don't milk shake their hips as much female dancers do, and their mitt gestures don't take to exist as svelte.

LTK: What kinds of music are skillful for first learners?

RM: I would recommend starting off with a slow vocal. Or, some people prefer to learn classical Bollywood dance showtime, which is a chip harder than the more modern style that goes along with most of the recent pop Bollywood songs. Using free music downloads is a skilful way to discover the right music without a big investment.

LTK: How authentic is the Bollywood dancing nosotros come across in movies?

RM: Everyone differs on what they see as accurate Bollywood dancing. There are many unlike styles and in that location is little agreement about what is the most authentic one. The primal is to have high quality dancing that matches the moment and the music.

LTK: Why do you love Bollywood dancing?

RM: It's great practise and an extremely elegant form of dancing! Different trip the light fantastic toe styles appeal to different people, just I've merely had an immediate click with Bollywood since the very showtime fourth dimension. Whenever I dance, I enjoy it - it's never work to me!

Learning Bollywood

Whether y'all are a complete newcomer or an avid fan of Bollywood dancing, the best place to first is with a private lesson or a class, if you can find something in your local area. In the meantime, keep enjoying all of the fantastic Bollywood movies that feature rhythmic and stylized trip the light fantastic toe scenes to please your senses.