By Anjum Choudhry Nayyar
There’s a new kid on the fitness block. While Zumba has been a craze that’s been going strong for several years, Bollywood-infused moves are making their way into the classes and triggering a new kind of Zumba. Zumba-Bollywood style!
Zumba uses the principles of fitness interval training and resistance training to maximize caloric output, fat burning and total body toning. The classes work out the glutes, legs, arms, abdominals and the heart. This 60 minute workout is bringing the latest Bollywood and Bhangra songs in to the class and participants can learn amazing dance moves that will make you confident of your dance abilities at the next Indian wedding while also giving you a full body workout.
Binu Dhindsa, a Zumba instructor in Oakville, Ontario and mother of 3, says Bollywood style music is an easy fit for Zumba.
“Zumba is dance fitness using international music such as African, Latin and Indian,” said Dhindsa. “My recent focus has been the Indian music -Bollywood and Bhangra! This is music that I grew up with that I love to dance to. Currently my classes use half Latin and half Indian music. You will definitely sweat, burn lots of calories and have sore legs the next day. Zumba-Bollywood Style is a class I am starting up soon, it’s the fun of Zumba with the whole class focused on the Indian songs. Zumba consists of 3 or 4 moves per song that are repeated and easy to follow. There is no need to be coordinated or to have experience. I use the same principal with the Indian songs in my Zumba classes – the fun Bollywood and bhangra moves add some extra flavour to the classes!”
Born and raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Dhindsa left her career as a biostatistician to stay home with her kids. Her love for fitness and dance took her to become a Zumba fitness instructor – where her love for Bhangra and Bollywood music was able to surface. She says she loves to teach Zumba Fitness to women and children;
motivating them to exercise regularly and bringing international music and dance into their lives.”
“I usually have a wide mix, but every time Bollywood songs come on, people get really excited,” said Dhindsa. “The Bollywood music changes what moves you do. There’s some typical Zumba moves people get to know and they’re repeated but suddenly you throw in the Bollywood music; you’re telling people to throw their hands up and pretend they’re turning a light bulb and do a bhangra move. It ‘s something I think that really entices them and sometimes I’ll say ‘hey if you ever go to an Indian wedding reception you can try these moves and you’ll fit right in on the dance floor.”
Why Bollywood? Dhindsa says with so much Bollywood music now in mainstream TV shows such as ‘So you think you can dance’, the appeal is stronger than ever for both South Asians and non-south Asians. Dhindsa says Zumba is an easy option over your regular aerobics class.
“What makes Zumba different there’s no real memory involved and each song verse will have 3-4 moves but it’s so repetitive that its really not hard to follow. It is a total body work out. I try to incorporate squats in my routines. You can really add whatever you want to choreography.”
Dhindsa says as a mom, a workout needs to be fun, not burdensome.
“I started this realizing as a mom I was having a really hard time staying in shape. You sign up for a gym, you go for 3months and then you don’t go for 3months. So I was trying to find something that I could stick with.”
Zumba is for all ages. Zumba Gold is for the older adult, 55+, while Zumbatomic is for children.
How do you know if Zumba is right for you? Dhindsa says you just have to try it and see if it’s a fit for you.
“Check out the instructors and see who you like. If you can get a referral from somebody that’s the best thing. You really have to find the right instructor that will work for you.”
For more info on Dhindsa and her classes visit:
fitness4lifecanada.blogspot.com
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