Students enjoy Bollywood dance for culture and great workout

The music was irresistibly energetic in the Takoma Park Dance Exchange last week as Palak Sheth introduced her students to the third Bollywood dance class. Her shouts of encouragement over the jumpy beat reminded the dancers to pace their footwork, while her smile reflected the festive feel of the unique Indian dance.

Born of the music and dance styles seen in popular films of India -- specifically those produced in Bollywood, a district of Mumbai akin to America's Hollywood -- the dance craze is gaining momentum worldwide. Sheth describes it as a blend of traditional Indian moves interspersed with elements of modern hip-hop.

"Bollywood dancing is really just an amalgamation," she said, listing salsa and flamenco styles as other contributors. "It is a full-body type of dance; you're dancing in the traditional sort of way with your body as well as with very pronounced, kind of delicate hand movements and facial expressions to convey emotion and the story behind the music."

Taught by the District-based Dhoonya Dance company, classes began in Takoma Park after students in the District and Virginia began expressing interest in attending classes closer to Maryland, Sheth said. An introductory class at the Dance Exchange began Feb. 17 and will meet Wednesday evenings through April 10, after which attendance will determine whether a year-round class would work in the area.

If Sheth's students are any indication, the class might become a mainstay in the suburb. Takoma Park resident May Nash, 27, attended the class for the first time March 3 on the advice of a friend and plans to return.

"My grandparents were Indian, so I just thought it would be interesting to see some of the dances from what they did, but this is definitely more modern," she said. "I really like it, [and] I think it fits right into the community. I think it'll thrive here , maybe bring the younger generation out."

District resident Sumona Majumdar, 28, said she began attending the class out of curiosity about the style as well as for a way to break the tedium of life as a busy law student.

"There's precision, and I find that you move muscles very differently when you're trying to put your body in a certain position," she said. "It's a great workout."

Andrew Wilson, 30, of the District said he attended the class out of cultural curiosity and because he thinks the dance has value as a form of exercise.

"I go to a fair number of dance clubs and things like that, and I see people doing, like, bhangra moves or Bollywood moves, things like that, so it's just fun to kind of know some of the moves."

For information, including a schedule of classes and drop-in prices, go to http://www.dhoonyadance.com or e-mail info@dhoonyadance.com.