“Bollywood Dance – A Multicultural Confluence Workshop/Residency” is an exciting and upbeat exploration of India’s modern and folk dance traditions. Drawing from—and contributing to—international dance styles, Bollywood India is the most influential entertainment medium for one of the world’s largest populations. Students learn authentic movement vocabulary from select choice of the many sub‑genres of Bollywood, gaining an understanding of the musicality, expressions, and cultural background that shape each dance’s onscreen depiction—whether rooted in a region, festival, folklore, mythology, tradition, or a contemporary urban/fusion social context.
Students first watch fully choreographed pieces performed by the teaching artist to recorded movie soundtracks. They then learn these energetic, expressive, and high‑spirited routines themselves. Instruction emphasizes the authentic flavor of the steps via the lyricality, and replicating the hallmark qualities of the onscreen dance, grounded in the cultural significance or storyline context of the piece.
These workshops broaden students’ understanding of our increasingly interconnected and diverse world. Through movement, discussion, and guided reflection, students explore themes of cultural identity, global community, social interaction, human emotion, and how these values relate to success in today’s global society. The experience is not only educational but also a lively fitness activity- great fun! Students ask questions, deepen understanding, and make meaningful connections. The learned choreography may also be used in future school presentations. For students’ optional showcasing, some basic costuming may be provided by the Artist by special arrangement/prior planning, at no cost.
This Workshop/Residency may also be paired with a full company performance (available at a separate cost), integrated with student Culmination or as the Introductory presentation.
Duration: May range from a single session to a multi‑day residency, with customizable, grade‑appropriate content. Group sizes may vary from 4 to 30 students at a time.
Video Playlist: View excerpts from this program here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbM4qm0IZlH_B7PPSGRSeFL3FXammkNDw
Artist Background
Priya Chellani is an international dance tutor, choreographer & producer of 30+ years. A former dance finalist from India, Priya hails from the entertainment capital city of Bollywood cinema: Mumbai, where she captained a winning intercollegiate dance team at University, studied classical under a stalwart film choreographer, and structured one of the first curriculums in Bollywood Dance. She directed a thriving academy for a decade, choreographing for upcoming movie stars, creating prize-winning entries for reality TV. Migrating offshore to global destination Dubai, she served a multitude of cultures, collaborating with international event and educational organizations, major fashion brands, government entities, and hospitality chains. As a teaching artist later in New Zealand, she continued similar liaisons, represented at public shows and diversity workshops, served as a judge at university dance competitions, interfaced with recreation, fitness & education industries. From 2013 to date, Priya brought Bollywood Dance to the diverse communities in Raleigh with popular representation at the area’s multicultural festivals, while creating her own Bolly-Fit model for corporate employees in the RTP: CISCO, Lenovo, representing at museum exhibits like “Beyond Bollywood” [Smithsonian, D.C] During a recent visit to India, Priya provided choreography for a music album in the original Bollywood industry.
Search Criteria
- Program Type: Workshop/Residency
- Discipline: Dance
- Grade Level: Elementary, High, Middle
- Cultural Context: Asian
- Accepts bookings in Johnston County
