As many of you know, I recently completed the Doonya Challenge in DC, a 3-month fitness challenge where I took 3-4 Doonya classes every week. For those of you unfamiliar with Doonya, it is a 60-minute dance fitness class filled with nonstop cardio, aerobic, and strength training performed to upbeat, fast-paced Bollywood music. While many compare it to Zumba, I think of it more like a mid-week trip to the club for some hip-shaking action!

When I decided to start the challenge back in February, my goal was to lose weight and tone up in a manner more fun than the treadmill at my gym. To be completely honest, I didn’t think I would be able to last long, with the rules being that we had to attend 3-4 classes per week. As with so many other workouts I’ve done, I expected to last a couple weeks before losing interest.  BUT I actually ended up staying and pushing through the three months! Why, you ask? Is it because I’m a masochist? Is it because I was desperate to lose weight? Is it because I didn’t have much else going on during the evenings?

Err, while the answers to some of those questions might be yes, the real reason was because I just found the workouts so addictively fun and effective! When the challenge ended earlier this month, I could not feel better about my fitness level and overall well-being. Not only have I lost about 9 pounds, but my arms and leg muscles have also toned. My stamina has improved, as evidenced by my ability to push through high-energy Bhangra songs without water breaks (think about doing 5 minutes of constant jumps, squats, and taps to this song).

Pictures of me before and after the challenge

The icing on the cake (maybe I shouldn’t use dessert references when talking about fitness!) is that they just announced me as the winner of the challenge! The prize is unlimited Doonya classes for a year and a cash prize! I’m soo excited to win, but definitely have to give a shout out to the other DC finalists whose energy and dedication was so inspiring, and the Doonya instructors who kept us motivated throughout!

Even though the challenge is over, I am still attending classes because I feel gross when I haven’t worked out for a few days. It also helps when the instructor puts on my favorite song and I can just let loose! For those of you looking to lose weight, tone up, or just have fun, I definitely recommend the Doonya workout. If you’re like me, you’ll like the results you see and will come back for more!

When one sister’s challenge ends, the other one’s takes off (read about Richa’s Empire State Building Run here)! As previously mentioned, I’m participating in the Doonya Challenge in DC, a 3-month challenge where I will take Doonya classes 3-4 times a week and cross train on the remaining days of the week. In the last few months, I found myself dreading going to the gym and had become lazy (especially around the holiday season) so I thought this would be a fun way to get back into shape! I enjoy doing group fitness activities and what better motivation to move then fast-paced Bollywood and Bhangra songs!

I’ve started the challenge with a bang by taking 4 classes this week and making sure I went to my regular gym on the remaining days. All the Doonya instructors are excellent and bring their personal flair to the dancing, which makes each class different. Although I’m exhausted after classes, I generally find myself having more energy during the day and able to think more clearly at work. Since I was taking a few Doonya classes before the challenge even started, I’ve already noticed an improvement in my stamina. I don’t have to stop as often for water breaks in class and I’m not as much of a breathless mess after dancing to the Bhangra songs (i.e. I’m still huffing and puffing but not about to die, hopefully I’ll improve more in days to come)!

The challenge also requires us to keep track of our food and nutrition intake. This is dangerous territory for me. I love my cupcakes and glasses of prosecco. I will often reach into a bag of chips without thinking twice. I will order fries instead of salad as my side. EEKS. But now that we have to food journal, I’m embarrassed to do all that and find myself trying to go for the healthier option. I even cooked in bulk this weekend so I have dinner prepared for the rest of the week!

So here’s to a strong start to the challenge (raising my glass of water, instead of prosecco, in the air)! I will keep updating you all on any changes I see in weight, energy, stamina, and general sense of well-being! Stay tuned in the weeks to come! 

Despite living in two separate cities, the Urban Mantra sisters do a lot of things in common. Among the activities we both enjoy is dance…particularly Bollywood dance. Once a week or more, we walk into a dance studio in our respective cities and let our inner Madhuri loose (for those of you who don’t know Madhuri, she is a famous Bollywood actress and perhaps the most iconic Bollywood dancer). As the music plays, we enter a world where hip-rolling, shoulder shimmying, body twists and turns, and foot-thumping is not only allowed but encouraged. What is this class, you ask? It is dhoonyaFIT.

What it is: dhoonyaFIT is a dance fitness class filled with 60 minutes of nonstop cardio, aerobic, and strength training performed to upbeat, fast-paced Bollywood music. The class is offered by dhoonyaDANCE, a Bollywood dance company that holds classes in DC, Virginia, Maryland, and NYC. With classes offered most days of the week, students have ample opportunities to get a full-body workout and leave feeling sweaty but smiling!

What I Love: What we enjoy about the dhoonyaFIT workout is that it is fun, energetic, and a great way to get some exercise after work. Seriously, it’s almost like a trip to the dance clubs except you don’t have to wait until Saturday night to go! :) When some of our favorite songs come on, we almost have to hold back from breaking out into crazy moves!

The other aspect we appreciate about dhoonyaFIT is that you don’t have to be a dance expert to join the class. It is appealing and applicable to beginners as well as experts because of its focus on working out, rather than on traditional dance techniques, which some people may struggle with (for those who are interested, dhoonyaDANCE offers techniques classes too).

The other new and exciting development in the world of dhoonyaDANCE is that there are now dhoonyaFIT instructor training classes being offered. This way, one can become a certified dhoonyaFIT instructor and teach it anywhere – even abroad!

What I Don’t Love: Honestly, there isn't much to dislike about dhoonyaFIT given how fun and effective a workout it is. The only complaint we had until recently was that there weren’t enough dhoonyaFIT classes being offered. But after taking a survey of its members earlier this year, Dhoonya decided to open its doors to more FIT classes and at more locations around the city.

So next time y’all are in the mood to bust out some moves to your favorite bhangra song or can’t bear to work out at your gym, consider taking a dhoonyaFIT class for a different workout experience. You will come out Bolly-fied!

I recently took a dance/fitness class in DC, where the instructor led us through a choreographed set of high-energy moves to bhangra music. What made the class so much fun was the high-octane music that really got me shaking my bootay! Bhangra music never fails to get me pumped up and excited, even on a bad day.

For the non-desis out there who don’t know what I’m talking about, bhangra is a highly energetic form of dance that originates from the north Indian state of Punjab. It’s gotten a fair amount of exposure in the West in recent times with hip-hop artists like Jay-Z performing to Punjabi MC remixes. After a particularly beat-bouncing dance class recently, I started thinking about which bhangra songs are my favorite. So here is my list of top, hip-shaking bhangra songs which I wanted to share. Who knows – you might discover a new favorite song from this list or, if you’re a newbie, get educated on the power of bhangra! So here goes…

7) Sadi Galli (Lehmber Hussainpuri)

The beat of this song is undeniable and can make any person want to dance. My dance instructor from Dhoonya Dance, a Bollywood-inspired dance school, taught us such great moves to this song that I can’t help but break into a dance whenever I hear this song at a wedding or bhangra party!

6) Aaja Nachle (Bally Sagoo)

This song makes me reminisce of my early college days and reminds me of the wedding scene in Monsoon Wedding when everyone goes crazy on the dance floor. This has got to be one of Bally Sagoo’s best!

5) Aashiq (Punjabi By Nature and Miss Pooja)

The music video may not be amazing, but the lyrics are certainly interesting. Lines from the song, such as  “I am more beautiful than angels, no one is like me and everyone is in love with my mischievous eyes”, can definitely boost your ego, if your ego is easily boosted…

4) Door Ne Khulni (Manni Sandhu)

I love this song as it picturizes  the quintessential chill-with-friends-at-a-house-party, followed by the character’s plight when his mom doesn’t open the door when he gets home. Watch what happens in the video!

3) Na Na Na Re (Daler Mehndi)

No bhangra list is complete without a throwback Deler Mehndi song! This ‘90s song still manages to get me going on the dance floor.

2) Morni (Punjabi MC)

The girl in this song has some mad accessorizing skills and the song ain’t bad either! Punjabi MC has to be in this list after my friends and I saw him live in an exclusive (100 people only) concert. We mixed and mingled with him, and subsequently gave him our numbers since he wanted to come party with us later!

1)      Amplifier (Imran Khan)

Imran Khan reigns number one on my bhangra list! While Amplifier is his most famous song, his other songs, such as Hey Girl, Bounce Billo, and Ni Nachle, all vied for the number one spot. 

Imran Khan is also an amazing live performer. Check out this picture I took at his concert!

So that wraps up my top Bhangra dance songs! What would you add or remove from this list?

For DC peeps who are interested in coming out to dance parties, check out the United States Department of Bhangra (USDB) parties, held every month at the Black Cat! Or join me in one of the Dhoonya Dance bhangra classes. I might just see you there next time!

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