From the News Tab (thanks, Aliya), a link to an article in the New York Daily News: “Bhangra dance workout is a sweaty fitness celebration.” It’s a profile of Sarina Jain, whose “Masala Bhangra” aerobics classes have been mentioned at Sepia Mutiny before. The highlight has to be this passage:

Jain infuses her classes with elements of both Indian and American cultures, alternating shouts of “Balle Balle!” - a Punjabi expression of joy - with very American exclamations of “Sexy arms! Sexy arms!”

The steady beats of Bhangra and shouts of encouragement from Jain keep the energy level up, even as students’ faces get pink.

Jain’s students - women and one man at a recent session at a Manhattan gym — pulse their arms and follow her footwork as she instructs the class using a headset microphone.

“Her enthusiasm is quite infectious,” said Pradyot Dhulipala, a 26-year-old programmer and the only man in the class. Dhulipala said he mentioned Jain’s workout in his blog and got 30 to 40 additional hits that day. (link)

30 to 40 additional hits on his blog, huh? I wonder if we can do a little better: here. Pradyot’s comments on his experience at Masala Bhangra are pretty entertaining, and might bear comparing to Abhi’s own gym obsession:

I started out running and lifting weights and graduated to taking pilates since I found that both running and weights without the necessary stretching made the body preety stiff. Admittedly it was awkward at first since there aren’t too many guys at exercise classes.

Now being too cheap to spring for a real dance class, I also decided I need to take up some dance based exercise class since I really wanted to be a little more graceful in any future exertions on the dance floor. But that would be even more embarrassing, since such classes have steps that are way too girly (Yes I did one in Binghamton — a fact that I’ll never live down).

Bhangra can never be too girly, so it fit into my plans well. so I went this week.

Trust me, being Indian, didn’t give me the slightest advantage. I was still the worst in class. I was amazed at how good everyone was, and it was tons of fun, maybe a tad high impact for my liking. But, if I can, I’ll go again. (link; corrected punctuation and spelling)

Yaar, vis a vis girly moves, I am with you. (But don’t worry — what happened at that gym in Binghamton… stays in Binghamton. Hareepa!)