Review: Bollywood Bhangra Beats

Swerve Studio Los AngelesClass: Bollywood Bhangra Beats
Length: 55 minutes
Cost: $17
Studio: Swerve | Los Angeles
Instructor: Achinta McDaniel
What to expect: Swerve is a boutique movement studio and gym in Los Angeles offering a wide variety of classes every week, 80 to be exact. Give yourself time to park as the studio is located in a busy part of LA, or walk if that’s an option. I found a spot with minutes to spare, and got a workout before my workout running to make the class. The studio itself is reminiscent of a dance studio, as the co-founders both come from dance backgrounds. There are towels available to rent for $1, however larger towels for the shower are free as a courtesy.  If you build up an appetite or need to hydrate, there are plenty of snacks for purchase.
Our take: I have to admit I was nervous going to this class. I danced a bit when I was little, but Bollywood dancing is not anything I have experience with. My nervousness quickly changed to laughter as the teacher Achinta, is hilarious, and reason enough to go to the class. But she was also very supportive and made class accessible to me. We started off with a warm up before she taught us the basics.  After a few minutes of that, the majority of the class was spent on choreography to the song Chammak Challo. The music was fantastic, upbeat, and fast and I quickly worked up a sweat.  If you’re like me, and not a fan of cardio, dancing is such a great alternative. I was able to enjoy myself while getting my heart rate up.  There’s definitely some coordination involved, but don’t let that scare you away. Achinta will adapt the class to you. I think I might be hooked, I actually went to bed that night actually practicing the moves in my head. 

difficulty:   (4) atmosphere:   (4) likely to return:    (5)

Reviewed by Kristen Matthews, a Los Angeles based Pilates instructor who teaches in Santa Monica and outlying neighborhoods.