by Mary Graham

As a school’s PE equipment gets
stacked away for the night, Bollywood sounds and beats start to
fill the hall.

Bollywood dancing sessions have
been running for the last few weeks on Wednesday evenings at
Cornwallis Academy in Linton, near Maidstone.

They are the brainchild of business
studies and public services teacher, Kiran Chauhan, who teaches the
class.

She said: "The concept is fitness
through fun and what with films, the oscars, Slumdog Millionaire
and Shilpa Shetty everyone knows a bit about Bollywood and are
willing to try something new.

"Bollywood dancing is not a
separate form of dancing, we put on the beats and it is a mix of
contemporary and freestyle and a mix of Indian and western moves.
"Basically you can just start jumping and expressing yourself."

And many of the women dancers are
already noticing the benefits, such as losing weight and toning
up.

Debbie Freeman, who lives in
Boughton Monchelsea, said: "I was looking to try something new and
I don’t like the gym, so this was perfect. I’m addicted."