Preview: Bollyb!end @ Atlas Performing Arts Center

Kajal Mehta (far right) and members of the Dhoonya Dance Performance Company

'Tis the season for South Asian dance, apparently. After last week's well-attended Fall Festival of Indian Arts, folks who wish to continue their fix may catch Bollyb!end, the first ever full-length dance production from the Dhoonya Dance Performance Company, taking place this Saturday at the Atlas Performing Arts Center (they will also be performing on Friday along with DJ Rekha at the Black Cat's Bhangraween party).

While most of its dancers are classically trained, Bollyb!end will offer a more popular take on South Asian dance. The show will focus on Bollywood, the colorful, energetic, and often melodramatic style that is a product of India's gargantuan film industry.

"People have heard of Bollywood because it’s become a trend," said Kajal Mehta, Dhoonya's Managing Director, "but Bollywood has yet to make it’s way into the D.C. area as an art form."

Bollywood has gained widespread popularity outside of India, as far away as the Middle East and Africa. The dance style is also catching on here in the States, having been featured on TV shows such as America's Best Dance Crew and So You Think You Can Dance. Saturday's show will showcase Bollywood pieces along with traditional folk numbers and performances that blend Bollywood with other popular dance genres, including hip-hop and belly dancing.

Describing the style, Mehta said, "You’re not just dancing, you’re playing a character, so it’s more like Broadway in that sense."