The Class: For someone like me who doesn’t have vast experience with dancing nor Bollywood music, BollyX could be compared to extreme hula dancing. You’re clapping, stepping, bopping, jumping, and the motions are coordinated with the songs. Meanwhile, you’re totally unaware that you’re burning between 500 and 800 calories.
The Appeal: This class has a fun-loving atmosphere that excitedly welcomes newcomers of all skill levels. (Dancing to upbeat music is more fun than running on a treadmill.)
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The Instructor: Along with White Rock YMCA instructor Alex, my class was taught by Dallas native Meredith, the regional trainer sent from the national organization. She lived and breathed BollyX, and her enthusiasm made the workout a blast.
Who’s There: The class was a mix of ages and gender. Ten women, two young girls, and one man. Many were first-timers, and some were frequent Zumba-goers who were curious about the new dance-based fitness class on the national stage.
How It Went: The class was essentially a dance marathon to Bollywood music, and the trainers had a choreographed dance for each song. The regular attendees already knew the steps, so I assumed they use the same playlist or at least a few of the same songs for each class. Some major beats in the song roused lively “woo-hoos!” from nearly everyone in the room. The steps were easy to follow and had us constantly moving our legs and arms for the entire 50-minute class.
The Aftermath: The class ended in a dance battle, of course: the left side of the class versus the right side. Then, we did a cool-down routine to calming music.
Loved: I loved how happy it was, from the cheerful music to the simple motions. I had a smile the entire time.
Hated: All the jumping. But that’s just me. The good part is no one yelled at me when I lightly bounced instead.
Difficulty Level: It is what you make of it. There were people of all ages and abilities in this class. Meredith told us to modify the workout for our bodies. I appreciated that she didn’t make me try to body roll along with the rest of the class. (I cannot body roll.)
