Bollywood Today
03/23/2009 - By Alison Campbell Bollywood Dance
Bollywood Dance
Bollywood dance is not only a fun way to move, stay fit, express yourself and have fun, it is also taking the world by storm. You too can experience this amazing dance style at the Bollwood Bliss retreat in Hawaii in April!
Bollywood Today
With the outrageous and unpredictable success of the movie, Slumdog Millionaire winning the Academy Award for Best Picture for 2008, Indian cinema and Bollywood dance has just stepped up to a new level and is now taking the world by storm. This is a great step for movies from India and calls for celebration. AR Rahman is India’s music mogul, the man of the moment. The maestro has become the first Indian music composer to win two Oscars for a film (one for Best Original Score and another for Best Song ''Jai Ho''). This was for the first time that an Indian had won more than one nomination in the history of Oscars and bagged the prestigious award.
This success has brought India into the next stage in world cinema and music.
The huge success of Slumdog Millionaire is an excellent example of relatively unknown actors and Indian movie makers “popping’ the mass culture. Awakening us to the talent, culture and creativity that individuals who are following their dreams can make them happen. A great example to those of us who dare dream, set intentions, combine talents, overcome obstacles and become a success, sometimes even a world wide success.
Bollywood is the name given to India’s movie industry, one of the largest in the world and is attracting attention. Bollywood is India’s Hollywood. In fact, Bollywood produces more films every year than Hollywood. Most Bollywood films are musical melodramas with choreographed high, energy dance scenes interspersed through the film. Kaleidoscopes of color, dance, romance and drama, movies depicting Indian love stories, have you laughing one minute and crying the next!
Bollywood dance refers to the dance of Indian movies. Song and dance are integral to South Asian cultures, and as a result most Indian movies are musicals. Bollywood dance encompasses Indian classical dance, Indian folk dance, Indian pop dance, hip-hop and other western dance. To South Asians in the US, Bollywood dance is much more than just a fun dance style. It is an expressive medium that allows them to bridge their eastern and western cultures together into something meaningful.
Bollywood has long experienced popularity in countries such as South Africa, UK, Morocco, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Mauritius. However, Bollywood has remained relatively unknown in the US until recently. Today it seems everywhere you turn Bollywood is there. Bollywood is fast becoming a household name in the US. As a result the doors have been opened for Bollywood in the US, Canada and beyond leading to endless possibilities.
Drawn to the lavish dance numbers in films from India, or just bored with their gym workouts, people are flocking to Bollywood-style dance classes that mix traditional Indian folk dances with hip-hop moves. And the U.S. exercise industry and dance studios are taking notice. Bollywood-style classes are popping up and is now coming to Hawaii. Perhaps we could call that ‘Hawaiiwood’!
Popping up on Hawaii in April, at Kalani Oceanfront Retreat, a Bollywood dance retreat will be a big draw card for those who want to learn about Indian culture as well as dancing. At night and during the day students will gather to watch Bollywood films, create their own theatrical pieces, plan their costumes and henna their feet and hands. Yoga, meditation and breathing along with the formal instruction in the style marked by shimmering fun dance numbers that put folk moves and hip swings to pop beats will combine the color and magic of India with the mystic and beauty of Hawaii. For those who dream of being a Bollywood star here’s your opportunity to start living this dream. To enquire visit www.bollywoodsisters.com/retreats or phone 808 463 7272.
