Apartment Fitness: The Bollywood Dance Workout with Hemalayaa

Bollywood is India's version of Hollywood:  Big movie musical films with lots of dancing and lavish costumes.  If you watch So You Think You Can Dance or America's Got Talent Bollywood dance is becoming more and more popular.  You can catch that Slumdog Millionaire fever at home with The Bollywood Dance Workout featuring the very sensuous Hemalayaa.

This 50 minute video takes you through some of the basics of Bhangra style dance:  Some hands and arms, a little head movement, some foot work, a little abs.  It is like an Indian buffet of Bhangra!  Not any one area is really focused on for very long, so you can't get bored.  Hemalayaa's voice over cuing is light and easy, reminding you to have fun, smile at yourself, and if you can't pick up the steps right away it's no big deal.




I liked this DVD a lot.  For a free and easy workout day without a lot of pressure, it fits in nicely to my exercise video library.  I did have a light sweat but nothing too major.  The workout is done barefoot, but if that bothers you, shoes wouldn't get in the way.  I would recommend having a mat or pillow nearby if being on your knees during the "Ground Play" section bothers you, and on the deep knee plies going to your own level of comfort.  I have knee issues and don't like popping in and out of grand plie- demi plie works just as well!

Thank you to Acacia Fitness for letting me win this video via Twitter!  What a great prize!

Equipment: none (but a mat may be a good idea)

Fitness level: beginner to advanced; may not be appropriate for those with knee issues

Fun level:  On a funness scale of 1-10 (10 being the most fun EVER), I give this a 6!