Bollywood Bytes = Adventures in Bollywood, USA by Dance Instructor-Filmi Aficionado-Aspiring Hindi Speaker Vicki Aubin
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Showing category "Yo, Check This!" (Show all posts)

Back in the 'Twitterwood'

Posted by Vicki on Sunday, February 20, 2011, In : Yo, Check This! 
How does Twitter affect the way we look at film stars? Check out Pulkit Datta's piece 'Twitterwood' here:
http://tinyurl.com/4ho4tpt



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Curry Alert!

Posted by Vicki Aubin on Thursday, February 10, 2011, In : Yo, Check This! 

Yum!

NYC! Hale and Hearty on 23rd & Madison has a 'Curried Butternut Squash with Chicken' soup today, "This is a lightly curried chicken and butternut squash soup, sweetened with fresh and dried fruits and finished off with a touch of cream"...ummm....can I have more bread, cuz I dont want to waste a single ounce of this YUMMY stuff! :P And no, they didnt pay me to say that, its just damn good! :)

http://www.haleandhearty.com/



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Diwali Performance Video Clip!

Posted by Vicki Aubin on Saturday, February 5, 2011, In : Yo, Check This! 
Check out this clip of me and Bollywood Funk NYC Dance Company Performance at the AIA Diwali Festival at South Street Seaport in NYC Oct 2010
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Want to Lose Your 'Spare Tire'? ;)

Posted by Vicki on Monday, January 10, 2011, In : Yo, Check This! 
Hauteliving.com just put Bollywood Funk NYC in their 'Lose the Spare Tire Top 5 Workouts in NYC'! Read it here now: http://tinyurl.com/28hqavy


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Citizen Schools, WOW!

Posted by Vicki on Wednesday, December 15, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 

I was extremely proud to represent Bollywood Funk NYC and chat with public middle school students last night from Brooklyn about careers in dance and the performing arts at Citizen Schools New York's December 'WOW!' event, entitled "6 Degrees of Separation". I chatted with incredibly intelligent, eager and energetic 8th graders as they practiced their networking skills, and asked advice on how to get started on achieving their career goals. Last night's WOW! event was to celebrate the student...
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A True HumanE Being - Mr. Narayanan Krishnan

Posted by Vicki on Wednesday, December 15, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDCFpxhEldQ

Thinking about what gifts to give over the holidays? This selfless man gives the gift of life every day to the mentally disabled homeless in Madurai India.  Thank you, Aarti Chawla, for sharing this.

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I Love I Hate Love Stories!

Posted by Vicki on Wednesday, September 1, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 


Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor in 'I Hate Love Stories'

OMG OMG, this is my FAVORITE song right now and I am teaching it in Bollywood Funk NYC's Advanced Beginner September session starting Wednesday night, PSYCHE!!!!! STUDENTS, Let's rock it like nobody's business! :) Imran Khan, you are kinda cute too, but thats beside the point ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLnNqCgsziM&feature=related

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Mayhem & Masti @ Bollywood Wedding

Posted by Vicki on Tuesday, August 31, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 

Had a BLAST last night at "Bollywood Wedding" at Nuyorican Poets Cafe in the east village. Wish it was playing longer, or I'd have recruited a bunch of friends and gone to see it again. Two of my fellow Bollywood Funk NYC Dance Company members Aki and Kalyani dancing it it, and I was curious.  I went not knowing what to expect, and walked out LOVING it. Imagine 'Tony & Tina's Wedding', but Bollywood style, and you have "Bollywood Wedding", and then some.  Think Cultural stereotypes, cliches, ...
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India Day Bollywood Funk NYC Footage!

Posted by Vicki on Sunday, August 22, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 

Bollywood Funk NYC RIPS up the stage @ India Day Parade 8/15/10! Forward to 2:32: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8c_1DJcUNo

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SOS-India Bollywood Karaoke Fundraiser 8/28

Posted by Vicki on Sunday, August 22, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 
Are you secretly the next Udit Narayan or Lata Mangeshkgar? Bollywood Funk NYC supports sos-india.org and their Bollywood Karaoke Fundraiser event Aug 28: http://meetup.com/u/X09
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No Rest for the Wicked (BFunky) ;)

Posted by Vicki on Monday, August 16, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 
We did it! We ROCKED the stage today at the 30th Annual FIA India Independence Day Parade & Festival in Madison Square Park with a remix medley of "Aloo Chaat", "Hadippa" and "Salaam Namaste", in honor of Grand Marshall Preity Zinta. Thanks to all our students and community who came out to support and cheer us on! I am now officially EXHAUSTED and need a good chair massage! Wait, FEET too, especially! I need a break...WAIT! I am teaching Advanced Beginner classes tomorrow night with Bollywood...
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Best of SYTYCD Bollywood Season 7

Posted by Vicki on Saturday, August 14, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 

Billy & Robert perform to "Ganesh" from Bombay Dreams

Ok! So, I've been meaning to blog about this recent (7/28/10) episode of SYTYCD, but just hadn't gotten the time over the past few weeks until now...this is BY FAR, without a DOUBT my fave 'Bollywood' performance on STYCD ever, with a close second being Katee & Joshua in Season 4...reason being, it encompassed VARIOUS choreography/dance styles and techniques (which is what dance in today's Bollywood films is all about anyway), BIG props to ...
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Found- India Independence Day Twibbon!

Posted by Vicki on Friday, August 13, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 
I just supported Independence Day of India by adding a sticker to my profile picture. Get the sticker and show your support now at http://twb.ly/9JVTdZ



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2 Days to Preity!

Posted by Vicki on Friday, August 13, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 


Phew! Putting in over 8 hours of rehearsals this week for my performance with Bollywood Funk NYC at the 30th Annual FIA India Day Parade & Festival on Sunday at Madison Square Park. Last week I was just as with practices for our show at Peridance. Think I lost a few pounds the past two weeks, and got the added bonus of unintentional 'toning' with all the dancing I've been doing recently, haHA!  We are very excited to have been invited to the India Day Parade/Festival- its a HUGE event, which ...
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Bollywood By Moonlight

Posted by Vicki Aubin on Wednesday, August 11, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 

Lara Dutta in "Nassa Nassa" from Kaal

Was poking around on YouTube tonight and found this gem! A not-so-oldie but goodie! I L-O-V-E this song, it wasnt a hit, but should have been...the movie wasn't bad either ;) 'Nassa Nassa ' from Kaal, a real good Hindi thriller film! Vivek Oberoi's rockin out in the video...get down with your bad self, Vivek ;)   http://youtu.be/hvFH2hpCUkY
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Bollywood-Jazz-Funk-Bhangra-Bachchan!?

Posted by Vicki on Thursday, August 5, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 

Amitabh Bachchan in 'Genie Rap' from Aladdin

I LOVE love my dance students at Bollywood Funk NYC! They totally ROCKED it last night to 'Genie Rap (Remix)' in Advanced Beginner class...See y'all Monday night for some more Jazz-Funk-Bhangra Fusion-whoopwhoop! Check the song & video from the film here: http://tinyurl.com/2ccjdyf

I had the EXTREME honor of meeting 'Ami-ji' (as he is commonly referred to by his peers) aka Amitabh Bachchan himself a few years back in NYC when I was doing Extra work...

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Is Preity Zinta ready for some Bollywood Funk??

Posted by Vicki on Tuesday, August 3, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 

Preity Zinta

Made a new warm-up playlist last night for my Advanced Beginner classes tomorrow with Bollywood Funk NYC Dance School, whoohoo! Our August session JUST started last night. We are doing fantabulous-FUNKY choreography to the Remix of 'Genie Rap' from the (Bollywood) movie 'Aladdin'. We've got some Funk and some Bhangra in it. There's still time to join this week! Visit bollywoodfunknyc.com for our NEW August schedule.

I will be performing for Preity Zinta at the 30th Annual FIA Ind...

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New York Times Article!

Posted by Vicki on Friday, July 23, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 

Me in my funky hoodie gettin' down in Hip Hop Hungama class.

Bollywood Funk NYC's Hip Hop Hungama class (and I, photo-wise, at least!) are featured in the July 23rd edition of the New York Times (Article: 'Bend It Like Bollywood')!!! Congrats to Tiffany Taylor for teaching such a GREAT class to garner such recognition!!! Join us every Saturday at 4PM bollywoodfunknyc.com. See the full article here: http://tinyurl.com/24zg2cs

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Samosas by Satellite

Posted by Vicki on Wednesday, July 21, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 
The other day coming back from the Jersey Shore, I happened along XM Channel 159 ATN Asian Radio. Anyone listened to this station before? Despite a few sort of interesting Bollywood remixes, the rest of the programming was painful...the host decided to describe, in very specific detail over 30 minutes (no joke), how to make samosas...who writes down recipes while they are driving?! Needless to say, I channel surfed between that and the 80's and 90's stations...

HumDesi HD radio is also sort of...
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Word to your Maather

Posted by Vicki on Tuesday, July 20, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 
One of my co-workers called me "the Vanilla Ice of Bollywood"...ummm...is that good or bad? Thanks, Todd ;)


80's Rapper Vanilla Ice
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Hey Bollywood, SYTYCD Called, & They're Running out of Ideas!*

Posted by Vicki on Wednesday, July 14, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 

Jose Ruiz and Kathryn McCormick in"Marjaani"

Why oh WHY oh WHY are all these reality dance competition shows all stuck on representing "Bollywood" dance as only CLASSICAL INDIAN DANCE in traditional costumes? Someone at SYTYCD needs to be schooled, seriously.  Now, dont get me wrong; I LOVE the fact that anything "Bollywood" related is getting respect on national U.S. television...but to ONLY represent the traditional side of Indian dance forms, and to package it all as "Bollywood Dance", and ...
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My Bollywood Crush - 20 years Too Late

Posted by Vicki Aubin on Wednesday, July 7, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 

Nasseeruddin Shah in "Tridev"

Question: If you were YOU 20 years ago, who would your then-Bollywood crush be? I didn't realize that the handsome macho man in "Tirchi Topiwale" from the 1989 movie "Tridev" is actually one of my current fave actors 20-years younger, Mr. Nasseeruddin Shah. With that special sparkle in his eye, and feather in his cap, Mr. Shah was the ultimate Tirchi Topiwale (guy in a slanted hat)...I forgotten how much I really loved this song.....everytime I hear it, I want to ...
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H3 & Pranna 'Follow Me' ;)

Posted by Vicki on Sunday, March 14, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 

Today was tiring but invigorating at the same time....Took Bollywood Funk NYC's Basic Beginner class currently doing "Marjaani" (Electro House Mix) from Billu Barber. Will continue to teach the song in my weeknight classes. Lots of people showed up, despite the INSANE rain storms happening this weekend in NYC. Also took our new HIP-HOP HUNGAMA class, taught by Tiffany Taylor. We did an awesome routine to "Follow Me" by Hard Kaur from 'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani', one of my fave songs right no...
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Shahid Kapoor Michael Jackson Tribute!

Posted by Vicki on Monday, March 8, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 
 
Mega Shout-Out to Shahid Kapoor 4 his tribute to Michael Jackson at the 55th FilmFare Awards!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbRTEha039g

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BFunk gets 'Five Stars'!

Posted by Vicki on Saturday, March 6, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 
Taught Bollywood Funk NYC's debut Long Island class last night at 5-Star Sports & Entertainment Academy in East Rockaway! Thanks to 5-Star and the local community who came out to participate, it was a blast! also got to watch 5-Star's Competitive Cheer Team do their upcoming routine for a national competition in Florida next week. These girls were AMAZING and ROCKED it! Even mixed hints of some Bollywood tunes into the music mix.

NEW Manhattan Session starts SATURDAY 3/6 at Stepping Out Studi...
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Hip-Hop Hungama ~ Holi Hai!

Posted by Vicki on Saturday, February 27, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 
Cool to see that several Bollywood actors these days are becoming very active online and interacting witheir fans. Many are now on Twitter. I'm currently following Shah Rukh Khan, Vivek Oberoi, Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra.

Lots going on at Bollywood Funk NYC these days! Thast why I've been so silent! We've got a NEW SESSION starting March 6th, and a NEW CLASS! Want to learn to dance like Shahid Kapoor or Hritik Roshan?? Bollywood Funk NYC Dance School is proud to introduce HIP-HOP HUNGAM...
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Kathak vs. Tap ~ Week In Review

Posted by Vicki on Monday, February 8, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 


Word Up! Lots happening this past week....

Check out this link to a Kathak and Tap collaborative production, "India Jazz Suites", between Kathak master Pt. Chitresh Das & Tap star Jason Samuels Smith. You've never seen anything like it! Dhanyawadh, mera bahut acchi dost Sneh for bringing to my attention :)

http://dancejam.com/videos/1054597866-fierce-kathak-and-tap-pt-chitresh-d

2. Props to AR Rahman for winning 2 Grammys last week for 1) Best Compilation Soundtrack For a Motion Picture (“S...


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Chance Pe Kaunsa Dance?

Posted by Vicki on Saturday, January 23, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 

My students are having an absolute BLAST to 'Mast Kalander' in class, its a rockin' party every class this session!

Congrats to my students who won VIP tickets to Verizon's 'Chance Pe Dance' / Celebrate Bollywood Party at Pranna last night 1/21. Bollywood Funk NYC was in the house and had a geat time groovin to the sounds of DJ Bhav Aman Singh. Also had a chance at the party to meet the winners of Verizon's 'Bollypop' dance contest, Shivani Thakkar and Sapna Rohra. Both girls were flown to Bo...
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Bollywood Funk NYC January Session Now Open!

Posted by Vicki on Wednesday, January 13, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 


Our January 2010 dance class session is off and running! Monday night's classes were PACKED and will fill up this week. We are featuring music from "Hey Baby" and "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi". Register now at the Classes page at bollywoodfunknyc.com to get in while there's still space :)

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Bollywood Montage to Black-Eyed Peas "Boom Boom Pow"

Posted by Vicki on Wednesday, January 13, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 
 
What I like about his Bollywood montage to a Black-Eyed Peas song- it shows the vastness of Indian cinema and dance styles, and that not ALL Bollywood dance is only what you see on SYTYCD :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt_BjB5z5oE

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Bollywood at 40,000 Feet

Posted by Vicki on Sunday, January 10, 2010, In : Yo, Check This! 


Imagine sitting back in a cushy chair, sipping white wine and groovin' out to the latest Bollywood rhythms...40,000 feeet in the air! I experienced this recently when I flew between JFK and Vancouver, Canada...

The on-demand entertainment system included several Hindi films including very popular, recent hits ("Love Aaj Kal", "Kaminey" ), as well as lesser-known films worth watching ("Chintu-Ji" starring Rishi Kapoor). Music-wise, a large selection of Hindi music- recent filmi hits, artist alb...
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Hip-Hop Hurrayyyyy, hooooly crap! ;)

Posted by Vicki on Sunday, December 20, 2009, In : Yo, Check This! 
 
Rhythm City on ABDC Season 4

Today I got my butt royally handed to me on a platter at Rhythm City's dance class at Pearl Studios. Rhythm City was one of the crews on America's Best Dance Crew Season 4, and was my favorite crew on the show...but they got eliminated about 1/2 way through the season :( Alonzo from RC taught the class, which was packed and INTENSE, OMG. This class is not for the uninitiated or inexperienced hip-hop dancer, but its still a blast! I recognized some of the girls fro...
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Bollywood Funk NYC Auditions for ABDC Season 5

Posted by Vicki on Friday, December 18, 2009, In : Yo, Check This! 

Me holding our ABDC Crew Audition Number!

My blog has been VERY silent recently! No, your RSS reader is not broken. The past two and a half weeks I spent in intensive, grueling, closed door dance practices every night for 2+ hours in preparation for Bollywood Funk NYC Dance Company's performances at MTV's Americas Best Dance Crew Season 5 Auditions!!!  The auditions were held last Saturday and Sunday 12/12 and 12/13. So everyone understands just how grueling this process is, our entire weekend...
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Future Indian Idol Star Discovered!?

Posted by Vicki on Friday, November 20, 2009, In : Yo, Check This! 
This is TOO cute, check it out...Little Girl Singing the Indian National Anthem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEDgfv8foiY



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Bollywood Bytes


Blogmaster: Vicki I created this blog because 1) I love to write and 2) I love to talk about Bollywood. I 'stumbled' upon Bollywood over 6 years ago, and my life has never been the same since. I am currently an instructor and dance company member at Bollywood Funk NYC, I have seen a lot of Hindi films, been in a few of them, aur mujhe thoda thoda Hindi aata hai. Main Amrikkan hoon lekin mera dil Hindustani hai.

Vicki on Video! Check out some of my performances with Bollywood Funk NYC Dance Company and hear me speak about the school and our classes below!

Times Square Performance 6/7/10

An Inside Look at Bollywood Funk NYC Dance School

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