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How to Learn Indian Dance

Pragya T
Most Indian movies are musicals, in which you will observe various soundtracks accompanied with dancing. Do you wish to learn Indian dance? Then here are the tips that will help you find a dance teacher or help you in self-learning...
India is a country which has a rich culture. There are various unique states in it. Each state have their own culture which can be seen in their clothing, language, cuisine and folk dance. Yes, there are various types of Indian folk dances, and every state has their own interesting folk dance.
But, there are some folk dances which are more popular and acclaimed. Some of these dances are bhangra, kathak, kathakali, bharatnatyam, lavani and garba.
But, the most popular type of Indian dance known all over the world, and shown in almost all Indian movies is the Bollywood dance. So, if you wish to learn easy dance then go for Bollywood dancing, but if you wish to learn the classical Indian dance, then you will have to find a teacher.

Learn Indian Dancing Style

Through Classes...

An easy way to learn the proper style of Indian dancing is to enroll into the dance classes. Now, depending upon your choice you can select a particular type of dance.
There are various different types of Indian folk dances. Kathak is a type of Indian traditional dance in which there is fast footwork and lots of spins.
There is kathakali, in which the dancer will wear striking costume and makeup and express a story through dancing and lots of expressions. Then there is bharatnatyam in which story is portrayed using dance movements.
These were some popular South Indian dance forms. One of the most popular Indian dance form, which is known all over the world is Bhangra.
This is a popular North Indian dance and quite fun to learn. Other popular classical dances are Garba, Dekhni, Manipuri and Ghoomar. Ghoomar is a form of Rajasthani dance, in which women keep twirling with their colorful skirts.
Manipuri uses subtle movements and the costumes are quite distinguishable. Dekhni is popular folk dance of Goa, in which there is western and Indian dance songs used.
If you wish to learn any form of classical Indian dance then you will have to find a dance teacher near your place. However, if you wish to learn Bollywood dancing then you can enroll for Shiamak Davar classes or similar dance classes.
You can find Bollywood dance classes near your place. However, if there are none then consider self-learning. You can teach yourself any form of dancing with sheer practice and observation. To teach Indian dance yourself, follow the mentioned below tips.

Through Self-Learning...

If you want to learn Indian dance, then it is best to start with Bollywood dancing or Bhangra. But, if you like you can also try Kathak. These are relatively easy to learn dance styles. So, start with some simple dance steps.
Buy video tutorials of these dancing styles or watch the video tutorials online. Save the videos if you want to make a library. Follow basic dance tutorials.
Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, and follow the steps shown in video tutorials. Preferably, try to dance in a room where you watch yourself in a mirror and the floor is not slippery.
Practice for 3-4 days these basic steps. Include in these steps hand and leg movements. Then after 3-4 days download some dance songs, for the particular type of dance you are learning. Play the music and start dancing with the steps you learned in these few days. Enjoy dancing, so that the movements come even more naturally.
This way learn Indian dance even better by adding more new steps to the dancing style. And keep practicing and enjoying dancing with music so that you can get really good at Indian dancing. Good luck!