Dancing Queen

If I was Hindu, or if I at least believed reincarnation, I like to think I could have been a Bollywood dancer in a former life. 

Not because I am a particularly gifted dancer presently, though I've been told I could hold my own in a dance off against Aishwarya Rai, one of Bollywood's more popular stars (clearly someone was brown nosing). Rather I like to think I was a Bolllywood dancer once upon a time because Bollywood dancing is the art of looking cool while reveling in silliness. Because how serious can you take yourself when you're dancing to lyrics that proclaim: "Shakalakah Boom Boom." My understanding is that the words are supposed to mimic a heartbeat.

Perhaps this could all be said about Britney Spears, but somehow Spears and her pop peers don't hold a candle to these dancers; partly because Spears' success evolved from outdoing her sluttyness and these dancers are fun to watch fully clothed.

Bollywood dance is transfixing. Your laughing with the dancers and the cheesy-ness, because you're escaping with them into this world where women move in their saris with seamless grace, men dance and lip-sync just as much as women and where the only traffic in the streets are the backup dancers. Don't forget the perfectly timed sunset.

The top songs of the day usually coincide with the top bollywood movie of the day. At present I believe one of  the movies is Guru. The song is Barso Re (something about asking the clouds to open up and rain). That's my current choice, anyway. The movies, the music,the famous people together create a $2 billion industry and helps make India the only country in the world where Hollywood can't pull a large portion of the audience from the local cinema. Since Hollywood can't beat Bollywood, they are going to try and join 'em. They've entered the world of Bollywood movie making.

Bollywood dance combines classical Indian dance, Punjabi bhangra, belly dancing and hip-hop. The result is a high-inducing medley of shoulder pumping, wide-eye glancing from left to right and back, neck bobbling and hip wiggling choreography that's appropriate for weddings and night clubs alike. I don't think the same could be said about Beyonce's little butt thrust. 
 
All this is just to say, Bollywood dance makes me smile.

Come on. Who couldn't use a little more 'cheese' in past, present or future lives?