Bollywood Exports Dance Craze

Indian ex-pats crowd studios offering lessons in how to shake it like movie icons

By Paul Stinson, Newser User

Posted May 4, 2008 6:37 AM CDT

(Newser) – Bollywood movies have long been a successful Indian export; now they've spawned another booming business, Portfolio reports: studios that promise to teach fans the dance numbers that drive the films' popularity. "Bollywood dancing is no longer an object of ridicule," says one choreographer. "It's serious business and, believe me, there's nothing funny about it."

"Being Indian, there's a natural connection with Bollywood dancing," says one 50-year-old expatriate patron of a booming studio in Dubai. "It's exciting to be able to dance to the original moves of a song at a disco or a party." Concurs his wife: "The big appeal of Bollywood dancing really hit me when Pummy decided to forgo his golf session to put on his dancing shoes."

[Images (5)]

[Videos (2)]

Bollywood actor Aamir Khan poses with a replica of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch in Mumbai, India, Monday, March 24, 2008. Khan is one of six Indians chosen by Coca-Cola India to run with the Olympic... (AP Photo/Gautam Singh)

Hollywood actor Richard Gere, left,prepares to hug Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty during and event for HIV-AIDS awareness in New Delhi, India, Sunday, April 15, 2007. India's top court suspended an arrest... (AP Photo/Gurinder Osan)

This photo provided Thursday March 20, 2008, by the Theatre du Chatelet shows a scene of the "Padmavati" directed by Indian filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali. "Padmavati," currently playing at Paris'... (AP Photo)

Backup dancers during singer Kavita Krishamurthy's performance during the Bollywood Music & Fashion Awards at Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City Saturday, Nov. 17, 2007. (AP Photo/Sharon Stabley)

Bollywood stars Amitabh Bachchan, front left, and his son Abhishek Bachchan have helped spawn a growing business in places from Los Angeles to Dubai: dance studios that teach movies' popular moves. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

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Hodi hodi hodi hodi dolu hodi thakadhimi - Akaash:Exclusive!!!Rocking Puneeth from "Akaash"Ramya and Ashitha gives a right pairKuladalli keelyaavudo hucchappamathadalli melyaavudoGetup start dancing (rprs1983)

Monsoon Wedding song performed at Bollywood Festival:Shadora & her students (Teatro del Oriente) gave several shows of bollywood dance as well as belly dance during the Bollywood Film Festival in Wroclaw, April2008 (ShadoraOrient)

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Bollywood Exports Dance Craze