Like its many dialects and languages, each region of India has its own classical and folkloric style of dance. The following are the styles we perform and teach:

Rajasthani: (pronounced RAH-jus-THANi) The desert region of India where the gypsies originated. Danced mostly by women, this street folk dance is known for its spins, backbends, protruding hip movements and balancing many pots on their heads. The people of Rajastan are known for wearing vibrant colorful or tie-dyed veils known as chunnis (pronounced CHOONE-ees) and turbans they wear on their heads, silver and mirrored jewelry and black tattoos on their face and hands.

Bollywood: Derived from the words "Bombay" and "Hollywood," Bollywood has become one of the most popular styles of music in the world.

The dances in these songs are called "Filmi" or "Bollywood". Originated in Bombay, the filmi dance mixes one or more styles of classical dance movements, such as bharatanatyam (Bhur-ut-NAHT-yum), and folkloric, such as bhangra (BHUNG-rah), and because of the influence of MTV, some "western" movements, such as jazz or hip-hop, have also been known to be incorporated. The filmi music is also a mixture of Indian carnatic (south) or Hindustan (north) music, instrumentation, and/or rhythms often to a modern or western beat. Some filmi songs, called mujras (MOOJ-ruhz, which means "gathering") are influenced by the north style of classical dance, Kathak, (KUTH-uk), and often set in one of the many beautiful palaces in Rajastan. Some consider this style the "bellydance" of India because the dancer is performing for a gathering of people and/or daringly exposes her belly, and sometimes tipped after her performance with money circled and then showered over her head. The lyrics in these love songs are poetic and sensual, sung in hindi and urdu. Sung by a few selected "playback" singers, all filmi songs are lip-synced by the dancer and usually accompanied by groups of professional background dancers. The dance numbers take place in various exotic scenes, such as the Himalayan mountains, the streets of foreign cities, or even on top of a moving train. Especially in the 1960's and 70's, the masala movies and filmi songs have influenced not only all of India and Pakistan, but also most of the Middle East, including Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, as well Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Greece, Russia and many countries all over the world.

Bhangra: (pronounced BHUNG-rah) Originated in Pakistan and Punjab, bhangra is the nation's most popular style of social dance because of its driving dance beat of the drums or "dhol."

Depicting the life of the Punjabis, this festive folkloric dance has elements of martial arts (which originated in India), animals - the horse and ox, and harvest movements, as the people were the nation's protectors/warriors and providers - the farmers. In this dance, men wear colorful vests, turbans, and pleated skirts or lungis (LOON-geez) and women wear Punjabi suits or salvaar kamiz (suhl-WAAR KUM-ees), which are long shirts, pants, and choonis (CHOO-neez), which are worn on their heads and/or around their neck. Bhangra (male) or giddha (GID-hah, female), is performed not only during Baisakhi (bu-SAH-kee) or harvest festival, but also weddings, birthdays, and social gatherings. This style and music has gained so much popularity, it has become mainstreamed in many parts of the world, including the United Kingdom.