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Movie dances5 minutes

Learn the Dola Re Dola dance: A short passage from Devdas

By Bernhard De LucaUpdated

In brief
  • A simplified Dola-Re-Dola passage can be practiced by two people using side steps, foot accents, and coordinated arm movements.
  • The sequence has four eight-count phrases and includes a partner change on separate paths.
  • First, you practice slowly without music, then connect the sequence to the chorus.
  • This practice version is not a substitute for the original Devdas choreography or instruction in classical Indian dance technique.

In the film, two dancers seem to form a shared arc of movement, even though each uses her own space. When you try to copy it, that’s exactly what gets tricky: your arms need time while your feet are already setting the next accent.

What you need for your rehearsal together

  • Two dancers with freely moving arms
  • A level, clear floor with room for two separate paths
  • Comfortable practice clothes and flat, flexible shoes
  • Recording of Dola Re Dola from Devdas
  • Two flat floor markers outside the step paths

The learning version takes on the duet's interplay

In Devdas, Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai dance to Dola Re Dola. For this exercise, you'll use the idea of a shared chorus section: start side by side, finish your arm pathways at the same time, and switch positions in space. The following 32 counts are a deliberately simplified practice sequence, not a faithful transcription of the film's steps. They work as a short section to the song, but don't capture every musical embellishment.

Here, a foot accent means a light tap without a transfer of weight. Your supporting leg keeps you balanced while your free leg briefly touches the floor. This creates a visible accent without the need to stomp or jump. Keep your knees loose, let your shoulders drop, and keep your hands relaxed. We don't assign any classical meaning to the hand shapes.

At first, you'll both dance in the same direction, not as mirror images. This makes it easier to keep a shared rhythm. When you switch positions, each of you takes your own curved path. You can also find the separation of feet and arms as a learning method in foot impulses and arm coordination in Shaku Shaku. The learning version of the Grease Hand Jive also shows how to practise short sections from a film instead of a whole number.

Floor markings make it visible whether your paths are getting longer or narrower without you noticing after several run-throughs.
Floor markings make it visible whether your paths are getting longer or narrower without you noticing after several run-throughs.

Practice the refrain version in six steps

  1. Set starting positions and entrance

    Stand next to each other, A on the left and B on the right, facing forward with enough space to open your arms. Mark both starting positions, warm up your feet and shoulders, and count eight steady beats in the chorus before your shared entrance.

  2. Move the first eight-count sideways

    Step right to the side on 1, tap left next to it on 2, step left to the side on 3, tap right on 4. Repeat this on 5 through 8; each side step takes weight, each tap stays light, and your hands initially rest loosely near your waist.

  3. Add arms to the second eight-count

    Repeat the foot sequence. On 1 and 2, move both arms out from the center of your body to the sides, up to shoulder height. On 3 and 4, bring them back to the center. Repeat on 5 through 8, keeping your elbows soft and your shoulders down.

  4. Switch places on separate arcs

    Take four small steps on counts 1 to 4, starting with your left, to the other starting place: A on the front arc, B on the back arc, without crossing. Face forward again on 5, march left, right, left on 5 to 7, and tap your right foot on 8.

  5. Close the fourth eight-count together

    Dance the side-tap sequence again: right, left, right, left. Open your arms on 1 and 2, bring them in on 3 and 4; open them again on 5 and 6, lower them on 7 and 8, and finish the final right tap with a calm gaze forward.

  6. Connect all four groups of eight to the music

    Dance the 32 counts slowly at first while counting aloud, then dance them to the chorus. Give a cue only before you start; if the sequence gets stuck, finish the run-through and start again instead of catching up with quick extra steps.

This keeps accents and pathways under control

Do it like this

  • Touch the floor only lightly when tapping
  • Keep your arm movements within a pain-free range
  • Turn your head toward the target without throwing your neck
  • If you make a mistake at the end of the sequence, start again

Not like this

  • Stamp your heel to create a visible accent
  • Throw your arms as high as possible, even if you feel a pull
  • Jerk your head in the new direction
  • Use frantic extra steps to catch up with the beat

Tick off your trial session by time slot

Before the First Run-Through

Preparation

After the Slow Practice

Check

After the music run-through

Review

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. You don't need any prior knowledge of classical Indian dance for this simplified practice sequence. The hand positions are deliberately neutral. Precise classical footwork, expression and meaningful hand gestures belong in expert instruction and aren't replaced here by a few imitated movie poses.

A duet needs a partner

On udansa, you can find dance partners to rehearse short film choreographies with. Describe that you'd like to practice this simplified Dola-Re-Dola sequence slowly and without any prior classical dance experience.

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A duet needs a partner

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