Bollywood Dance History

The style of bollywood dance originated thousands of years ago in Southern India. The dances were performed in Hindu temples as a way of honoring the gods. This style of dance later moved to theatrical productions and films, though many of the religious messages remained. Eventually, as the films added in other styles of dance such as hip-hop, the religious ties of the dance were lost.

The term bollywood comes from a genre of film that originated in India. Up until 1931, films were silent. Once sound came to the big screen, Bombay production studios wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. The studio began to produce a series of movies commonly referred to as Bollywood (Bombay combined with Hollywood). These films were often energetic musicals,

usually consisting of several song and dance sequences. This is what made the style of film so popular, though many people expected the films to fail catastrophically because of its unusual style and content. The target audience for the films was the upper class, so protagonists were often living luxurious lives, and the plot was based around romance. Despite censorship rules at the time, there were frequently voluptuous dance sequences.
Many people believe that the upbeat tone and rhythm of the films were popular because when they were coming out, the world was struggling with things such as the Great Depression and the start of World War II. The bright nature of the dances and films allowed for a way to escape from the stressful lives of many people.
The dance, through the decades, mixed with other genres such as cabaret, disco, and hip-hop. Now, there are many classes taught for people of all ages that teach people the style of Bollywood dance. Because of its religious history and messages, students are required to respect the same rules they would in a temple, such as not wearing shoes, when taking the class.