Bhangra, which has been a big deal in Britain for 30 years, and in India for at least 600, has grown beyond its roots deep into the Pittsburgh scene.

Bhangra is a lively form of folk music and dance that originated as a harvest celebration in the Punjab region of northern India and what is now Pakistan. Fused with hip-hop and reggae, it's become the latest aerobics craze.

Local fitness promoter Ed Lipsman sponsored the first Bhangra class in Pittsburgh June 1 at Wightman School in Squirrel Hill. Additional classes will be held Monday nights from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. through June 29. Another four-week class will start July 6.

"I thought it was extremely upbeat and challenging," said Sara Andreyo, 25, of Squirrel Hill, who has been taking aerobics classes sponsored by Mr. Lipsman for 18 months. "It reminds me a lot of zumba."

"It way exceeded my expectations," said Sally Carey of Mt. Lebanon, a triathlete and former Penn State cheerleader. "I've done every dance known to man. It's so much fun you forget you're working out."

"I loved it. It's great music," said Olga Klimova, 30, of Pittsburgh.

The class is taught by Nupur Dashottar, 38, of Shadyside, who in her day job is a family doctor at the Jefferson Regional Medical Center, Jefferson Hills. Ms. Dashottar, who is the mother of two small children, was born in England and grew up in Washington, D.C., but lived in India for two years as a child.

"I've been dancing since I was 8," she said. "This is a great way to get people into fitness."

Ms. Dashottar uses traditional music featuring such Indian instruments as the dhol drum and the flute for her routines, interspersed with Bollywood tunes. "Bollywood" is the informal name of India's film industry, which has surpassed Hollywood as the world's largest. It's a portmanteau of Bombay, the former name of Mumbai, where the Hindi film industry is concentrated, and Hollywood.

Mr. Lipsman said he decided to sponsor a Bhangra class in Pittsburgh because he thought it would appeal to the burgeoning Indian community here. But the only other person of Indian descent at the packed inaugural class was Ms. Dashottar's friend, Ritu Thamman, 42. Ms. Thamman, a cardiologist who lives in Shadyside, was born in India. Her family is from the Punjab.

"We just grew up with this music at parties and weddings," Ms. Thamman said. "It's completely infectious."

The fee for the Bhangra classes is $8 per session. For more information, contact Mr. Lipsman at 412-759-9187, or visit his Web site: fitnesswithed.com.