Most men ate their hearts out when they saw the legendary Joan Crawford let loose with Charleston in Our Dancing Daughters, a silent drama that was released back in 1928. Five decades later, John Travolta taught the world how to Disco in Saturday Night Fever (1977). Circa 2014: Dancing enthusiasts can now attempt these styles, courtesy a workshop in South Mumbai. While the city has been matching steps to Salsa, Tango and Bachata for a while, other lesser-known forms like the New York Hustle, West Coast Swing as well as complex Tango dance techniques, including the Abrazo and Barrida, are now being integrated into dance workshops.

“The last decade saw forms like Salsa, Ballroom, Waltz, Cha-Cha and Jive become popular. Now, people are warming up to club dances, which are more freestyle,” reasons well-known dancer Shannon Benjamin, who has collaborated with Amita Madhvani (owner, Studio Balance) to conduct a workshop for Charleston, Disco, New York Hustle and West Coast Swing. These freestyle dance forms are also finding takers, thanks to their popularity on international dance reality shows, believes Benjamin. “TV shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With The Stars have played a big role in reviving forms like Charleston,” he suggests.