NEW YORK 鈥� Doonya, which combines high-energy aerobics and conditioning with the hip-swaying, arm-swirling exuberance of Indian folk, pop and classical dance, is a Bollywood-based workout that experts say can be fun and effective.
Named for the Hindi word for world, Doonya is the brainchild of two fitness instructors who tapped their heritage for inspiration. It draws on the infectious song and dance numbers popularized by the prolific Hindi-film industry based in Mumbai, nicknamed Bollywood, where movies usually feature intricate love sagas and plot twists.
鈥淥ur parents are from India so it was a way of connecting with our roots,鈥� said Priya Pandya, a New Jersey native who created the workout with Mississippian Kajal Desai. 鈥淲e grew up learning dance. We both wanted to bring Bollywood dance to the world.鈥�
Doonya classes are held in the Washington, D.C. area and in New York City, and will launch in Los Angeles next month. A DVD is due for release in February.
Jessica Matthews, a spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise (ACE), said in addition to being addictive and fun, dance fitness classes can provide an effective workout.
ACE research studies on Zumba, a Latin-based dance workout, and Qi Dance, which merges the Eastern concept of Qi with world music, found them to be sound fitness routines.
鈥淭hese modalities do elicit cardio-respiratory response. You can gain lean muscle mass, and when there鈥檚 a core sequence, it can strengthen that area of the body,鈥� she said. 鈥淒ance fitness really resonates with some people. They get hooked on it and form communities around it.鈥�
Pandya, a yoga teacher, said the one-hour Doonya classes are carefully structured to ensure a full-body workout.
鈥淲e always make sure there鈥檚 a warm up,鈥� she explained. 鈥淭hen there鈥檚 the peak of the class with the most intense cardio. Finally as you slowly come down, there鈥檚 more conditioning and a cool down.鈥�
She said the workout can burn 600 calories if done full-out.
鈥淲e vary the playlist class by class,鈥� she said, 鈥渢o incorporate different dance versions.鈥�
The Bolly-Pop portion fuses traditional South Asian styles with hip-hop and jazz, while classical conditioning borrows from ancient styles and emphasizes intricate hand motions. Pop Bhangra is an energetic dance from the northern India in which the basic motion focuses on squeezing the shoulder blades together while keeping the arms tight.
Desai, who holds a fitness certification from ACE, said instructors stress the connection of movement to muscle.
鈥淭he more that you understand that, the more you鈥檒l condition your muscles,鈥� she explained. 鈥淪ome people come to class just for cardio, which is fine, but for others we鈥檝e developed the routine so that connection is there.鈥�
Enthusiast Magdalena Slawecka credits Doonya with bringing fun back into her fitness routine.
鈥淚鈥檇 been working out for a few years but I wasn鈥檛 enjoying it,鈥� said Slawecka, a 45-year-old pharmaceutical representative based in Brooklyn, New York. 鈥淏ut I absolutely love the energy of Doonya. I tell people it鈥檚 my Prozac.鈥�
Slawecka, a longtime dance lover, said she had given up ballroom dancing for want of a partner.
鈥淚 watched my first Bollywood movie about a year ago and I fell in love with the music and dancing. So I Googled and went,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ith Doonya, you don鈥檛 need a partner.鈥�
Her enjoyment, she added, is also about the people she has met.
鈥淲hen you come to Doonya, you have people who have a love of the same thing,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 get that at the gym.鈥�
Slawecka said through Doonya, she has also discovered India.
鈥淸It鈥檚] such a fascinating country. Not only the dance, but the culture, the food,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y daughter and I just went to India in November,鈥� she said, something she doubts she鈥檇 have done without Doonya.
鈥淚 was involved in a wedding there,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 danced at someone鈥檚 wedding in India.鈥�
