Lively music, expressive choreography, vibrant wardrobes- Bollywood is all of these things and more, now available for all students. Founded by juniors Harshita Alluri and Ishita Patra, the Bollywood dance club provides a fun and stress-free environment while teaching beginner-level dances.
The abundance of an Indian community has played a huge role in school events such as the Garba, an Indian-style homecoming of sorts. However, many of the students are unable to attend such coveted events due to prior commitments: this where the club helps out.
“A lot of people can’t do [dance] outside of school because of…other responsibilities and all that. So we’re like, ‘why don’t we bring it to the school?’ It will be like a fun thing where you can spend less than an hour a day twice a month,” Alluri said.
Like other Indian cultural associations, the club does focus on cultural aspects such as the clothing and food that will be encouraged during socials; however, it differs from other clubs as it emphasizes the impact of dance.
“Bollywood dance club is different from the other Indian associations because [we’re] specifically an Indian dance troupe association that we have in school.” Alluri said.
Bollywood itself is a unique category of dance that pertains to a prominent style of filmmaking in India. Concentrated in Bombay, India, Bollywood features cinema in the Hindi language and has only grown in popularity over the years.
“So in India, there are a lot of classical dances which are more traditional and kind of have a connection with the Hindu culture, but Bollywood dance is more modern,” Patra said, “[the] Bollywood industry is a really big thing in India. So these songs [we dance to] come from the Hindi movies that we have.”
Even though it’s in its first stages, the club has managed to make a difference in the lives of Indian students by making them feel at home.
“It also inspires me to embrace my culture, and listen to more Bollywood music and dance,” junior Suhani Srivastava said.
Although it is mostly attended by Indian students, the club is open to everyone and has already had several students outside the culture join.
“I hope to be able to make friends and have interactions with other people, and maybe be in support of the club [and] uplift it,” junior Ipek Orgun said.
This outsider perspective pushes some members out of their comfort zone and invokes new perspectives, but the learning environment helps students feel more at home.
“It’s more about the culture. I’m not really that big of a dancer.” Aiobean Hummel said.
Every club meeting (excluding socials), club officers demonstrate dances and assist members in executing the motions properly.
“It was honestly really cool. I love it. They first showed us the dance and then they taught it to us step by step,” Orgun said.
The Bollywood dance club hosts meetings once a month, and to learn more about the club, you can join the Remind posted on their Instagram page @sevenlakesbollywooddance. Whether you’re interested in the culture, dance, or social aspects, the club is definitely worth your time.
“Dance… requires, like a certain commitment. It requires passion,” Orgun said.
