Bollywood Dance Classes in Canada: Where Every Step Tells a Story

What Are Bollywood Dance Classes?

Bharatnatyam or Odissi aren’t the only classical dances of India. Bollywood dance fuses the various aspects of dance for the Hindi film industry, e.g., Indian folk dance, Indian classical dance, modern dance, and other dance genres.

Hence, Bollywood dance can incorporate several styles, making it very flexible to employ different dance choreography in various film songs.

For instance, a song can be choreographed using arm and hand gestures to convey feelings and emotions, while a song could require intricate footwork and line formations.

Students do the following when learning choreography:

• Work on foot movements
• Learn to coordinate their limbs
• Learn rhythm and timing
• Learn expressions and performance
• Learn dance steps
• Learn to move in and out of dance positions and formations
• Learn to repeat and practice dance steps

Teachers need not require students to memorize an entire choreography for it to be considered a ‘good’ lesson. In fact, ‘good’ choreography is broken up into smaller steps, allowing the students to practice that step multiple times before they are required to memorize the whole choreography.

 

Why Are More People Interested in Bollywood Dance?

Many different factors motivate individuals to take dance classes.

 After work, people want a way to unwind and have fun. Parents want their children to take creative classes. People want to learn dances to celebrate and participate in cultural events and weddings. Some people want to dance to their favorite songs, or learn the dance to a song they recently heard.

Bollywood dance classes are perfect to accommodate all of these interests, because the style allows dancers to express themselves at varying levels.

Aside from the level of experience, people at all levels can appreciate the various styles of Indian music and culture through dance. Again, people do not need to train to become professional dancers to enjoy and appreciate dance.

For beginners, especially, it is enjoyable to learn dance routines to songs because you are not required to be the focal point of the class, and instructors can help you if you are struggling.

 

Can Beginners Join Bollywood Dance Classes?

Of course!

Most first-time students feel anxious about not understanding the instructor or instruction, or not keeping up with other students. It’s completely normal to miss a count or turn the wrong way with your first few classes.

Bollywood is a good style to start with if you are interested in learning dance, because the instructor can teach and build a choreography in sections.

Like with sections, the instructor can build a choreography slowly and build up with the students and eventually add the music.

Practice is really more helpful than previous experience when you’re just starting and looking to learn the foundation.

 

Bollywood Dance for Kids

Music and movement are things children engage with naturally. This does not mean children all learn the same way.

Some children love and excel at dancing, learning and perfecting routines quickly. Others can benefit from a nurturing environment where dancing and movement are practiced without the focus on structured lessons or assessment.

Children’s Bollywood dance classes not only help children hone their dance skills, but also their movement, body control, expression, and the ability to work with a group. Children’s dance classes can build confidence and help children overcome their fears of performing and of being judged.

When looking for Indian dance classes for children, it is best to check if the teachers incorporate a good number of performances into their lessons, and if they modify their lessons based on children’s fears and apprehensions. A good teacher would help children enjoy dance classes and remove any fears children may have about dance.

Gurukul Dance Studio has branches all around India and focuses on children’s and adult dance lessons.

 

Bollywood Dance for Adults

People often assume dance lessons are child’s play, or exclusively for professional performers. In fact, a growing number of adults of all experience levels are taking dance lessons.

There are many reasons why adults begin dancing. Some are looking for an activity to add to their weekly routine. Others want to learn dances to celebrate special occasions, like their wedding or a performance in the family storage. Still others have a passion for specific forms of dance like Bollywood.

Doing Bollywood dance means learning longer choreographed dances over time.

If you’ve just started taking dance lessons, it can really help your progress if your dance teacher takes the time to explain the steps. You shouldn’t feel bad for not being able to understand the dance choreography on your own.

At Gurukul Dance Studio, you’ll find classes where you can learn all types of Bollywood dances, plus other types of dancing as well.

You can also compare different learning formats in our guide to One-on-One Dance Lessons vs Group Classes if you are unsure which approach suits you. 

 

Learning Bollywood Dance for a Wedding

Because multiple members of a family or social group often participate in Bollywood wedding performances, choreography can take on a more extended and involved personal nature. Family and friends can come together to create special performances for the bride and groom.

Different wedding events can have different types of performances. Some events can have more than one performance.

Choreography should be based on the people who will be performing it.

If a group intends to give an energetic performance and is generally comfortable with dance, the choreography can include detailed and complicated transitions and formations.

While deciding on wedding choreography, the following should be determined:

• How many songs will be used
• Who will be the performers
• How much time is available before the wedding
• Will performers be able to attend rehearsals
• How long will the performance take
• Is the performance venue suitable for the planned choreography
• Whether performers feel comfortable with a particular type of choreography

Our article Dance Lessons for Weddings: A Complete Beginner’s Guide for Canadian Couples has more ideas and information.

 

Bollywood Dance for Festivals and Events

Events such as cultural and community functions, including school programs and parties, provide opportunities to showcase various Bollywood dance numbers.

Flexibility is allowed in the placement of the dancers on the stage. Of course, larger groups can create more complex formations and movements.

The shape and size of a smaller group can be more varied.

An instructor can help with the practical elements of dance and choreography.

Dance videos can help with learning steps. However, to really understand how a dance progression is to be created, one really needs the help of an instructor.

Knowing these details and learning the steps to the choreography are equally important to the success of a Bollywood dance performance.

 

What Happens During a Bollywood Dance Class?

If you have never taken dance lessons before, you may feel slightly apprehensive during your first class.

Your teacher will likely start with simple movements and activities to get you all moving. From there, more complex activities may be added.

After that, your teacher may give you the first part of a routine.

This first part may just be a few movements. These movements may then be repeated and connected to other parts of the routine. If you do not understand a part of the routine, it is usually shown or demonstrated again.

Do not worry about perfectly remembering everything in your first class.

With dance, if you practise something enough times, it will become easier. Something that is confusing the first time you do it may become second nature with time.

 

How to Choose a Bollywood Dance Studio in Canada

Choose a studio that teaches the kind of dance classes that you want.

Students who are just starting out should look for classes that are beginner-friendly and not beyond their experience level. Prospective students who are preparing for a wedding should find out if the studio can develop wedding choreography customized to their needs. Parents should check if the class is structured for the right age group.

When considering a studio, you should evaluate:

 

Is the class suitable for beginners? 

If a studio claims to teach beginner dance classes, the classes should cover the basics of dance.

 

Who will teach the class? 

The studio should be able to give you information about the dance teachers that they employ.

 

How large are the groups? 

A smaller dance class means the teacher can provide dance-related feedback to students and answer dance-related questions.

 

Are different age groups accommodated?

Dance-related learning needs of teenagers and children are different from those of adults.

 

Are private lessons available?

Private dance lessons are a good way to develop a specific dance piece.

 

Can I ask questions before joining?

A good dance studio will allow you to speak with a dance instructor to answer questions about classes that you are interested in taking.

 

Why Gurukul Dance Studio?

Gurukul Dance Studio claims to offer Dance and Fitness classes for all ages. Classes offered include Bollywood, Hip Hop, Kathak, and Bhangra, to name a few. Wedding dance classes and choreography are also provided.

Nisha Chawla is the founder and owner of Gurukul Dance Studio and teaches there as well. It is stated that she has learned and/or taught Bollywood, Kathak, Jazz, Lyrical, Hip Hop, and Bhangra.

Students can gain knowledge of various dance styles to interpret Bollywood dance numbers.

For additional information about the dance studio, visit the site, Gurukul Dance Studio, or the page directly about Bollywood dance classes.

For more information or to enroll in dance classes, contact Gurukul Dance Studio.

 

What Should You Wear to a Bollywood Dance Class?

Your attire should allow for movement.

There is no need to wear fancy costumes to a beginner class like a performing professional. Clothes that allow for free arm and leg movement should work.

Dance studios give instructions on whether you need to remove your shoes before entering the practice room, and whether you need to wear shoes that are appropriate for the class. You can find this information before your first class.

The point is to wear something that allows you to easily and freely move your body to perform the dance moves.

 

How Long Does It Take to Learn Bollywood Dance?

This varies.

The speed at which you learn will depend on aspects such as the level of the routine (beginner, intermediate, advanced, etc.), how often you practise, and how attentive you are in class.

Beginner combinations generally do not take long to learn. More advanced combinations can take several classes to learn. Full routines that incorporate several combinations (i.e. a wedding first dance routine) can take weeks to learn.

You should not compare your learning to that of your classmates.

Factors such as previous dance experience and individual understanding of movements can impact how quickly someone remembers a combination. This can vary between students.

 

Can Bollywood Dance Be Combined With Other Styles?

Yes.

The different types of Bollywood dance allow choreographers the opportunity to incorporate various styles of dance, including Indian classical and folk dance, and modern and international dance styles.

Students interested in a more traditional Indian dance approach can also explore Kathak and semi-classical dance.

Hip Hop Dance classes, on the other hand, provide students with an opportunity to work on different areas of dance such as rhythm and movement using different styles of music.

All of this helps the dancer not only enjoy different styles of dance, but also helps them understand which area of dance they appreciate and look for in various styles.

 

Start Learning Bollywood Dance

You do not need to be a ‘natural’ dancer to be a part of a dance class.

You just need to start with small beginnings. You can start with dancing to just one song. Gradually, with practice, you will be able to dance to more songs.

When you wish to learn dance moves for a special event or for your child, it is best to look for classes that teach dance routines for your requirements and not for the most difficult dance moves.

We at Gurukul Dance Studio provide Bollywood dance classes.

You can visit our service page for details. You can also look for other activities conducted by us on our homepage.

You can get more information about the schedules and class dance routines on the contact us page.