Tired of running aimlessly on the elliptical while your ipod runs through the same songs for what seems like the ten thousandth time? If so, then it’s time to try something different and this workout DVD is definitely a change from the routine.

The Bollywood Dance Workout with Hemalayaa is 50 minutes of stretching and cardio that teaches classic dance moves from Indian musicals. If you’re not familiar with the term Bollywood, it’s the nickname given to the Indian film industry, which produces more films and sells more tickets than any other country (yes, even America). Many of these movies showcase lively song and dance numbers and it is from this that the instructor Hemalayaa takes her cue.

The tape starts out with a thorough warm-up and stretching routine before going into step-by-step instruction of each move. For the most part, it is easy to follow (even for this rhythmically challenged reviewer) and Hemalayaa stresses that it’s more important to have fun and keep moving than to get each step exactly right.

Once she’s gone through all the main steps you’ll need to know, the video picks up and the real work-out begins. Hemalayaa and her back-up dancers keep you moving with different dance combinations and encourage the viewer to personalize her moves and make them her own. At first I felt a little silly shaking my hips—and hair—in my living room (while smiling broadly, which is frequently encouraged) but after a bit I began to enjoy myself and let loose to the music.

The video ends with more stretching and a cool-down, although the pace is not so strenuous that I really felt I needed it. My only complaint was that all the bouncing made my knees a little sore and I didn’t feel the same level of exhaustion as I do after a stint on the treadmill (which could be a good or bad thing, depending on your goal). However, I definitely felt all the belly-shaking moves in my abs later.