Dance it out: learn Bollywood moves, practise yoga by moonlight at the Fit & Well Festival 2.0 in Hong Kong
- In June, the ‘Fit & Well Festival 2.0’ in Central, Hong Kong will play host to dance party sessions where participants can learn how to bust Bollywood moves
- In July, part two of the festival – which aims to ‘promote an active and healthy lifestyle’ – will see instructors guide moonlight yoga sessions
Hitesh Amarnani has some advice for those thinking about learning Bollywood dance, the dynamic and theatrical style seen in Indian films: just be yourself.
“As long as you love music, as long as you love to move, it’s going to be great,” says Amarnani, who has been busting Bollywood moves for almost 30 years, starting at his home in India and sharing his skills from Bangkok to Hong Kong, where he founded the World Dance Company in 2017. “Don’t be shy or worry about whether you’re doing it right, just enjoy it.”
Amarnani will share his Bollywood dance moves on June 16 at the dance party sessions of the annual “Fit & Well Festival 2.0”. On the same night, Dee Oh will turn up the pop tunes to host a high-energy cardio dance.
Part two of the festival will be held on July 7. This time it is a more chilled affair, with Priscilla Ho, Charlotte Chiu and Janet Fong guiding moonlight yoga sessions.
Both events will be held at the Central Harbourfront Event Space on Hong Kong Island from 7pm to 10pm.
“The idea behind the festival is to promote an active and healthy lifestyle, to motivate people,” says Kitty Lo, founder of health and wellness consulting firm Qintensity Fitness, which is hosting the festival in partnership with Central Venue Management.
“People can come together in a fun environment that doesn’t feel like you’re actually exercising,” Lo says, adding that the dance classes last year were super popular.
Last year was also hot, the reason this year’s festival – with the mission statement “Together We Move, Towards a Healthy and Happy Hong Kong” – will take place at night.
“People were melting last year so it will be cooler this time,” she says. “I’m so happy to get Hitesh on board – he is like the Bollywood king.”
Amarnani, who has worked with top choreographers including Shiamak Davar and Ashley Lobo, is more modest. “To be honest, there are around 25 common steps to Bollywood dancing, so if you learn those then you’re a Bollywood dancer,” he says.
It is also a great workout that not only boosts stamina and coordination but burns up to 600 calories an hour. “And most students and clients can easily reach around 7,000 to 9,000 steps in a class.”
Lo, a clinical exercise specialist, says it is a fun way to meet the government’s recommended quota of 10,000 steps a day.
“That quota is doable in Hong Kong but if you can reach it through Bollywood dancing then that is amazing and a fun way to reduce your risk of chronic illnesses,” she says.
Tickets for both June 16’s “Fit & Fun Night Out – Dance Party” and the July 7 “Fit & Well – Moonlight Yoga” are HK$190. For more information, visit eventbrite.hk.
