Bollywood Dance with Swati Chaturvedi
Using ‘Bollywood Dancing’ as the vehicle, Swati Chaturvedi introduces the sounds and rhythms of India to showcase its diversity of culture, music, and the arts.
Pennsylvania Curriculum Standards
(A=Assembly; W=Workshop; R=Residency)
9.1 Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts A, W, R
9.2 Historical and Cultural Contexts A, W, R
15.4 Learning Through Experience A, W, R
25.3 Pro-Social Relationships with Adults W, R
25.4 Pro-Social Relationships with Peers W, R
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Art Form(s): Music, Dance
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Genre: Asian
Assembly, Workshop, and Residency Offerings
Bollywood Dance Assembly
​The Bollywood Dance Assembly starts with an audio/visual cultural journey across India, showcasing the diversity of culture, music, and the arts across India. Using ‘Bollywood Dancing’ as the vehicle, Swati Chaturvedi introduces the sounds and rhythms of India.
Swati will have students engaged and out of their seat in this interactive assembly. Students will learn some basic steps and sequences, as the audience works towards helping Swati as she performs a short dance routine.
An immersive experience suited for all ages and skill levels, and is flexible to adapt to groups of all sizes.
Best for: ELC • PreK-12 • Students with Disabilities • After-School/Community
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Also available as a Workshop or Residency! (Residency can be in-person or offered via video.)
Featuring: Swati Chaturvedi
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Swati Chaturvedi founded the Community Bollywood Dance Project in Philadelphia in 2009.
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The Term “Bollywood”
The term Bollywood was created by combining two names, Bombay (the city now called Mumbai) and Hollywood. Bollywood based in Mumbai (Bombay), is India’s – and the world’s – largest film industry in terms of the number of films produced, and also the number of tickets sold each year. In fact, Bollywood has become so internationally ubiquitous that it now has its own entry in the Oxford English Dictionary!
An International Sensation!
It is not unusual to see Western pop and pure classical dance numbers side by side in a Bollywood film. The international appeal of Bollywood dancing is something that has been in the making for many decades. Originally it was found only in places that had a significant consumption of Indian films. But today it is rising in popularity in the US, Canada and Europe. With the success of films such as the Oscar winning movie “Slumdog Millionaire”, Bollywood films and dance have taken the world by storm & has now come into the global spotlight. Much of this is due to the ever expanding Indian diaspora, but a significant proportion also comes from non-Indians who are fascinated by the exotic, larger than life qualities inherent in it.
A True East-West Fusion Dance Style
The highlights of Bollywood movies are elaborate dance sequences and original soundtracks. Over the years, Bollywood movies have developed their own signature style of song and dance, which combines the rich texture of India’s many classical and folk dances, fused with elements of Jazz, Hip – Hop, Arabic and Latin Forms.
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Joined Musicopia: 2014