All dance choreographies in the early days of Bollywood movies were based on Indian classical or folk dances. Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Odissi, and other classical dance styles were popular, as were folk dances like Bhangra, Rajasthani Folk, Garba, Dandiya, and Bihu. The majority of the choreographers had formal training in their particular dance styles. These ancient folk dance genres have evolved throughout time. Read below to know, who gave birth and started Bollywood dance.
Many heroines developed their own possess styles associated with classical dance, complete with classical outfits and jewellery. A few well-known traditional dances of the era include:
- Vyjayanthimala (Honthon Mein Aisi Baat, Kaise Samjhaoon Badi Nasamajh Ho), 2. Ragini (Tu hai mera prem devta),
- Padmini (Aaja to aaja – Raj Tilak).
- Gopi Krishna and Sandhya (jhanak jhanak payal baje)
- Geetanjali and Mahipal (Hansta hua Noorani Chehra – Parasmani), among others.
At a period when Indian Classical, Semi-Classical, and Traditional Dance dominated Indian Movies, male performers such as Raj Kapoor and Sunil Dutt also weren’t required to dance in the films, and Bollywood was dominated by female performers. At the time, Bhagwan Dada (1951) was the star of the show, with his own distinctive style of dance that included latka, jhatka, and gentle hand motions. Bhagwan Dada’s style of dance has become quite famous, and Amitabh Bachchan still emulates his motions.
Group dances started to emerge in Bollywood movies in the late 1950s and 1960s, and choreographers began to manage bigger groups of dancers, with inspirations from folk dances.
Many western dance forms, such as rock & roll, Western Pop, Twist, and others, were introduced into Bollywood movies at the same time, along with a large number of popular tunes.
Shammi Kapoor debuted in the Bollywood business in 1953, using twists and rock and roll dance styles, but adding his own crazy and craziness inspired by Hollywood’s Elvis Presley, The King of Rock and Roll, to create his own distinctive dancing style.
Shammi Style Dancing captivated the crowd. Many performers, including Jeetendra, Rishi Kapoor, Mithun Chakraborty, Govinda, and others, adopted the Shammi Style of Dancing.
Also Read: Is Bollywood a style of dance?
