Professional Dance Classes in Indian Classical and Bollywood Styles at YICG

YICG (Young Indian Culture Group, Inc.), a not-for-profit academy for Asian Indians in New York, is providing dance classes for children and adults in Indian Classical and Bollywood styles. The various sessions are handled by experienced and professional dance teachers who can provide basic, intermediate, and advanced levels of training. The sessions are targeted at communities in Long Island and Queens, NYC.  

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Students enrolling for these dance classes are educated in areas such as theory, developing accuracy and gracefulness in body movements, ensuring that the movements are in time with the music beats, performance appraisals, and appropriate facial expressions. Currently, YICG provides training in Bharata Natyam, Kathak, Odissi, and Bollywood Dancing and these classes are handled by Malini Sreenivasan, Pandit Satya Narayana Charka, Mala Desai, and a teacher from Bollywood Performing Arts in Hicksville respectively.

• Bharata Natyam – “Bharata Natyam” incorporates bhaava, thaala, and raaga, the basis of this style being steps and hand gestures. A performance would begin with prayers to Lord Ganapathi and adoration of the Nataraja Moorthi. Aspects of the style include “abhinaya” or telling a story with dramatics, “nritta” which stands for dance movements, and a blend of nritta and abhinaya.
• Kathak – traced back to ancient Northern India’s nomadic bards also known as Kathaks (storytellers), this style involves speedy rhythmic footwork, and various pirouettes that culminate in statuesque poses. Facial expressions and hand gestures are important aspects of Kathak.
• Odissi – a classical dance form of Orissa, the characteristic features of Odissi are upper torso fluidity, graceful wristwork and gestures, and firm footwork. The central aspect of this style is the everlasting union of Krishna and Radha.
• Bollywood Dance – It is the popular style seen in Indian films and blends various styles including Kathak, Western popular, jazz, belly dancing, Indian folk, Western erotic dancing, and modern.

According to one of the dance teachers at YICG, “These worthwhile sessions are just what you need if you wish to advance in your knowledge of dance, want to take it up as a serious profession, or just want to have fun.” Information about the schedule for the dance classes for various styles, and the instructors is available at http://www.yicg.com.

About YICG

YICG was established in 1993 to educate New York based Asian Indians on the religious and cultural heritage of India. To achieve this objective, the institution arranges classes, festival events, workshops, outreach forums, specialty books, and performances.