What is masala bhangra?
Traditional bhangra group
In Bride and Prejudice, Martin Henderson explains to Aishwarya Rai how a novice like him has mastered the basic steps of bhangra: “With one hand you pat a dog while with the other, you screw on a light bulb,” he gestures to a bemused Ash, surprisingly getting the move right! Well, you don’t need to screw on light bulbs or pat dogs, for a version of bhangra — not the traditional folksy form, but the high energy version we’re used to seeing in Bollywood movies — is being taught as an innovative way to work out.
“Masala bhangra” was the brainchild of fitness expert Sarina Jain, who’s been teaching it in workshops across the US for the past 13 years. She recently led 200 participants at a walkathon in Mumbai through some masala bhangra workout moves. Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap seems to have been enthralled, and tweeted about the experience!
Sarina points out that masala bhangra is the kind of dancing we do at weddings, the form we’ve come to know through films, but which shares many common elements with its parent style, including its joie de vivre. “I took the culture, gave a name to it and made it accessible to everyone who wants to experience Indian dance and music, along with the advantages of aerobic exercise,” says Sarina. The bonus: a toned body and cardiovascular benefits.
Hetal Madhiwalla, a Mumbai-based fitness expert and owner of fitness studio Frequencee, says the “Bollywood twist” to this workout is what people enjoy. Frequencee is hosting a masterclass in masala bhangra on November 7 and Hetall explains, “We use a very ‘add-on’ method in teaching choreography,” she adds. “First we teach the arm movements, then the leg movements. It’s a high energy, 20-minute, non stop workout.” Ready to balle balle your way to fitness?
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