Photo: Courtesy of BollyX. Move over, Zumba — BollyX is taking over. The Bollywood-inspired cardio and dance class is designed to kick your butt. The 50-minute workout is all shimmying, jumping, and duking it out. If all of that sounds a little intense, the instructors assure newbies that "no prior dance experience or coordination is required — just a positive attitude and a willingness to try something new." So, even those of us with two left feet can find common ground and burn some calories all in the name of dance.
What started as a single Bollywood-style fitness class at UC Berkeley quickly grew to 150-plus regular attendees, with award-winning choreographer Mayuri Bhandari leading the way. Throw in a Harvard Business grad and an America's Got Talent alum, and you've got the founders — and occasional teachers — of BollyX. The program launched in 2013 with just one location and has since grown to six, including one in New York.
Want to try out the new fitness trend? BollyX is offered at the Stepping Out Studios in Flatiron and Pearl Studios in Midtown West. Space is limited though, so if you want to release your inner swagger while burning some major calories (500 to 800 per class), sign up early.