Get weekly updates via email!
tip of the day TUE 21 MAY 13
Is your skin dry and flaky? Invest in a good moisturizer and add it to your beauty routine.
FemaleNetwork.com
Good House Keeping
31 DAYS TO HAPPY
A brand new look with more of the tried, tested, and trusted content you've been reading for 15 years!
Good Housekeeping
Stephanie Castillo, Contributor
Print Email
May 05, 2011

5 Reasons to Try Bollywood Dance

Fitness and dance instructor Marlette Alano Besa shares her love for this popular Indian workout. By Stephanie Castillo
Marlette.jpgThose of us who aren’t familiar with Bollywood dance perhaps had our first glimpse in 2002’s The Guru, then again in the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire. But if you think that this exuberant ensemble dance is confined to the red-hot plains of India, think again—it’s more popular in our own country than you realize!

At the recent Beauty and the Beach event hosted by Women’s Health in gorgeous Boracay, an assortment of ladies were treated to an hour-long Bollywood dance class right on the sands. The teacher? Manila-based dance instructor and fitness extraordinaire Marlette Alano Besa, who showed the participants how to circle their hips and snap their wrists ala Aishwarya Rai.

But don’t be confused by the bared bellies and distinctly Indian flavor: Bollywood dance is separate from its sister, bellydance—though not by much of a margin. “Bollywood dance is based on traditional Indian folk dance, which also has elements of bellydance, so it’s really hard to compare the two,” explains Marlette. “The only difference is that Bollywood dance is a fusion dance. It combines elements of hiphop with Indian dance.”

Marked by jutting hip bumps, constant arm movements, and the fact that it’s best performed by a crowd, Bollywood dance is (famously) the essence of Bollywood films. Its movements tell a story and represent a culture—which is precisely why the dance appears, with all its bells and whistles, in the bulk of Indian celluloid. “It’s festive, colorful,” Marlette shares. “Like being in a party.”

It’s also choreographed in a repetitive, recall-friendly way, so the moves are easy to follow even if you aren’t a dancer. “Rather than a freestyle dance, it’s more patterned,” says Marlette. “There’s a distinct move for each part of the music. So when you hear one part of the song, you already know what to do.”

New to this dance but eager to try it out? We asked Marlette for 5 reasons why you should. Click on!

Marlette Alano Besa teaches Indian Bollywood dance and many other dance styles on a private basis. She also teaches yoga. Contact her via email at marlette_a@yahoo.com or via mobile at 09175206160. You can also visit her website, hipyogi.multiply.com.

(Photo of Marlette Alano Besa by Ingrid Villafuerte. Other photos by Marco Manzoni.)

Add us on Facebook and Twitter!
Page 1 of 1

Join us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
COMMENTS
Name :
Email :
Website :
Comment :
Security Image
Security Image [change]
 
 
NOTE: FemaleNetwork.com is a CLEAN ZONE. Editors reserve the right to delete obscene comments.
Filter comments by:
  • Be the first one to comment...
Filter comments by:
 
Print Email
ADVERTISEMENT
follow us
Stephanie Castillo
Contributor
Stephanie Castillo is a freelance writer and fashion stylist. Her column, Stylewise, appears on FN every Friday... Read more...
Latest Articles by This Author
LATEST Articles
MOST READ Articles
Upbeat Music May Help You Become Happy, Says Study
Upbeat Music May Help You Become Happy, Says Study
A little musical assistance may help put a smile back on your face.   May 21, 2013 
Chronic Drinking and Smoking May Cause Early Mental Deterioration
Chronic Drinking and Smoking May Cause Early Mental Deterioration
Put together, these vices may speed up your brain's aging.  May 20, 2013  2
What You Eat May Affect Your Wakefulness
What You Eat May Affect Your Wakefulness
Avoid fatty foods if you want to stay awake and active during the day.  May 20, 2013 
5 Reasons to Try Plana FORMA
5 Reasons to Try Plana FORMA
Looking for a challenging workout? This may be it!  May 19, 2013 
Soy and Tomatoes May Help Fight Prostate Cancer
Soy and Tomatoes May Help Fight Prostate Cancer
Research suggests that eating soy and tomatoes together may be more effective against the Big C as compared with eating only one or the other.  May 19, 2013 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT