India (Mumbai), from the 1930s onward
BOLLYWOOD
The danced cinema of Mumbai
Bollywood dance refers to the choreographic language of the Indian film industry (Hindi cinema, Mumbai). It first appeared in the 1930s with the earliest Indian talkies, but took on its spectacular form in the 1950s-70s with choreographers such as B. Sohanlal and Saroj Khan ("the mother of Bollywood dance").
It is an incredible fusion: classical Indian dances (Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Odissi), regional folk traditions (Punjabi bhangra, Gujarati garba), American Jazz and Broadway, Hip-hop, Salsa, and Arabic dance forms. Each decade has its stars — Helen in the 60s, Madhuri Dixit in the 90s, Katrina Kaif and Deepika Padukone today. It is now a style taught around the world, a vibrant symbol of Indian pop culture.
How it's danced
Technique & figures
Bollywood is danced to filmi songs (film soundtracks) at varying tempos. Its distinctive feature is expressiveness, with strong "facial expression" work (abhinaya) inherited from Kathak and Bharatanatyam. The hands speak (mudras), the eyes play, and the whole body tells the story of the song.
Styles and fundamentals
There is no single technique: every choreographer is a craftsperson in their own right. But a shared vocabulary structures the practice: mudras (codified hand positions), thumkas (hip isolations), Kathak-style foot circles, bhangra jumps, cinematic poses. Choreographies often alternate group unison with the star's solo.
Main figures
- 01
Mudra
A codified hand position (55 main mudras in Bharatanatyam) with a precise meaning, adapted for Bollywood.
- 02
Thumka
A quick, rhythmic hip isolation, inherited from popular Indian dance.
- 03
Chakkar
A fast spin in a low position, borrowed from Kathak. A virtuosic signature move.
- 04
Bhangra jump
A high jump with arms raised and bent legs, borrowed from Punjabi bhangra.
- 05
Head slide
An isolation of the head sliding horizontally from one shoulder to the other. An Indian signature move.
- 06
Abhinaya
Facial and eye expression that conveys the meaning of the song. Inherited from classical danced theatre.
Reading the music
Bollywood film soundtracks: compositions by A. R. Rahman, Pritam, Vishal-Shekhar. A constant fusion of Indian instruments (tabla, sitar) with global electronic productions.
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Explore the rhythms
Same family
Traditions Asiatiques & Orientales
Cross connections
Styles from other families that share a common language with Bollywood.