A fun way to exercise!
I wasn't sure about this DVD when I first did it - I am used to the person talking directly but this had a voiceover and it moved quite quickly but once I got the hang of it I really enjoyed it! It worked me into a sweat and made me pretty tired but I'm sure that once I am a bit fitter I will enjoy it as a dance thing as well as a workout! I got used to the voiceover thing and realised that it is good that once I know the moves I can turn the voice off!
I wasn't sure about rolling the head backwards in some of the moves so I just left that bit out, and I found the first bit made me quite dizzy with all the spinning and head shaking, so I just did a bit and moved on.
Other than that I found that I could pick up the moves reasonably quickly (it did take a couple of goes!)
A really fun way to exercise!

Bollywood dance is fun!
I am very pleased with this DVD. I watched it a couple of times to see what it was like and whether it was technically difficult or not, and I was immediatley drawn in by the presenter's positive attiude and enthusiam for bollywood dance and it made me want to do it.

What she says in the introduction is very true. Once you've started you don't want to stop. She explains that a lot of the moves are from Banghra which is an ancient kind of Indian dance, that is combined with modern, hip hop and even ballet. It all goes very well together.

The whole workout itself is quite short, due to the fast paced music so it doesn't take that long. Hemalayaa commentates, telling you what move to do while she and the other two girls demonstrate the moves she is talking about. And you can really see the energy and spirit come out of them, it will also come out of you as well which is a very liberating experience. The cool down in particular stretches and sculpts the body back to it's normal state and you are left feeling happy with yourself.

It's like no other ordinary fitness DVD I've owned. Hemalayaa has a passion for what she does and it really rubs off on you.

To get the full experience you should watch it a couple of times and get used to the beat, it's very fast. Then let yourself go and dance to it, I would also strongly suggest that you bounce your body a lot to it as well as this is the way you're mean't to do it.
Have fun xxx

Mostly Bhangra - few Bollywood
The video is filmed in a nice set, well lit and you can see everything clearly. On some occasions the camera is on a face when I'd have wanted to see the feet, and some close-ups are not in time with the rhythm of the music but overall the editing is OK. Hemalayaa and her 2 "sisters" who dance along most of the time are wearing workout clothes, the feet are clearly visible. I only wonder why they are wearing Egyptian coin belts in an "Indian" dance workout...

The intro features Hemalayaa with a speach that was a bit over-enthusiastic for my taste. You know, stuff like "once you start, you never can stop" in a tone as if she was on some kind of happy pills...
What irritated me was that according to her Bollywood dance is "not about elaborate choreography." Helloooo? If we define Bollywood dance as "dance like in Hindi films" - well it's ALL about choreography, and most of it is quite fast and elaborate!

There's a warm up section that I have mixed feelings about. Some of it is good, but there are at least 4 different head movements that can hurt your neck. I thought it was well known 20 years ago that rolling your head all around can be bad for the neck?
Also, I think she should have mentioned that knees have to be aligned with the feet when bending them because she does a lot of plunges.

The dance workout section mostly teaches Bhangra movements and the music is modern Bhangra as well (Bhangra is a North Indian folk dance, originally danced by men).
They are a good joice for a workout but only a small part of the movements and styles used in Bollywood dance numbers.
There's one hopping step she calls the "Hare Krishna" but never explains why and I really don't get the connection.
There's not a lot emphasis on the arms and hands, so you mostly work out the legs and there is a section called "ground play" that also works out the abs. Not really dance, but workout.

As this is a workout where you are supposed to be constantly moving, the movements aren't really broken down, just sometimes done slowly and then faster.

It certainly made me sweat, so this mission was accomplished :-)

Hemalayaa gives voice-over comments and repeatedly tells us to "have fun with it!" and "smile!" Well, if you don't want that, you have the option to do the workout with music alone.

I liked the cool down section (except more head rolling) although I missed a good stretch for the legs which would have needed the most.

There's an extra performance showing Hemalayaa with or without the two other dancers basically bopping around to the music we already heard in the workout, using the movements that were taught. Unfortunately it's all cut in MTV style, sometimes in slow motion - so it's not like you could really dance along.

All in all, it's OK for a workout video. You will learn some fun dance movements that you can use at the next Bollywood/Bhangra party but it will not make you a Bollywood dancer.

pigilene

a great fun workout, im new to dance fitness dvds, but they seem a great way to get fit, learn some new moves and have fun!

I've started off with belly dance, street dance & this one. which is my favourite - a good full warm up, a workout section which leaces you sweating - can't work out why they aren't! you know you've done something and a sensible cool down. all for around 50mins

maybe the seasoned exerciser would have complaints about the music, the instructions - she's very enthusiastic, but can op for none, and the same routine, but as i'm alternating and not doing it everyday, it's fine.

Bollywood dancing certainly does leave you feeling happy and healthy.

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