Love dancing, but can’t commit to regular classes? Then weekend dance workshops can be your jam. At these high-energy two-hour sessions, choreographers teach dance routines that you might have loved watching on Instagram. And, there’s no pressure to be perfect! It’s all about the flow, vibe and feeling the music, say choreographers.




‘People opt for the weekend to dance their hearts out’

“No? Yes? Maybe?” choreographer Upasana Madan asked a group of over 40 participants after teaching each move of the song Qatal, in her recent workshop in Delhi, and she proceeded the class only after the dancers said yes in unison. Talking about the vibe of these workshops, she says, “As a dancer, I aim to make sure that everyone in these workshops must feel that they have takeaways. By the end of the class, they must feel good about themselves. These workshops are not about how perfect you are as a dancer, but about how much fun you have or how happy you feel.”






From the recent hits to traditional bhangra basics, Deeksha Chaudhary aka Nachdi Rooh conducts bhangra workshops in the city. “The intention of the group is to make the most of the weekend. Weekdays are usually packed – be it school, college, office or even at home – so people opt for the weekend to dance their hearts out.”




Choreographer Noel Alexander shares his thoughts, “Workshops let you be that kid who once loved dancing. People who used to dance a lot earlier are coming back to dancing by joining these workshops. In the last two years, the number of workshops and participants have increased tremendously, majorly because of social media and the desire to belong to a community.”

Bollywood, semi-classical, folk workshops are popular

You can choose a class based on the song you want to learn or the dance form you love. Choreographer Nandini Pillai, who takes Bollywood and folk dance workshops, says, “The combination of the artiste’s signature style along with the choice of songs is what connects with dance lovers. From a six-year-old to a sixty-year-old, the group attending weekend workshops is diverse. A slower Bollywood song may have more people in their 30s, a typical high-energy number usually has participants aged between 10 to 25.”

Community groups in the capital, like City Girls Who Walk Delhi, host dance workshops monthly for those who ‘love music and movement or want to try something new’. Manisha Kalra, co-founder of the community, says, “The idea is to incorporate movement but make it fun. About 60-70 people join these workshops, which cater to different dance styles.”




‘It is forming one big community united by the love for dance’

Nandini says that it is exciting to see how workshops bring so many dance lovers together. She adds, “The energy in the room impacts the participants in a big way. Participants are usually those people who don’t want to train, and want to pursue dance for the joy it brings. It gives a chance to people who have long working hours or those who used to dance earlier and now wish to pick up the hobby again. Many people also come to make reels for their social media.”




Upasana adds, “These short-format workshops are bringing together the sub-communities of dance lovers in different cities to form one big community united by the love for dance.” Yashika, who attends different workshops every weekend, says, “Every time I sign up for a workshop, I get stressed. But, as soon as I walk into the studio, I am reminded to have fun, meet new dancers and learn from them.”

Pics: Lokesh Kashyap