Hosts promise: The ‘music is going to make you move’
By Madyline Swearing, Special to the Reporter
As the lights began to dim, a symphony of drums intensified, competing with the cheering voices of more than 1,300 spectators in a sold-out Strand Theatre as stragglers, carrying cups of chai and mango lassi, followed ushers to their seats. One of North America’s largest Punjabi dance competitions was about to begin.
The Boston Bhangra Competition celebrated its 22 years of operation a week ago Saturday (Nov. 15), welcoming 11 teams from across the United States and Canada to Dorchester to compete for $4,000 in prizes. The event was hosted by cultural nonprofits South Asian Nation and Boston Bhangra, which train recreational and competition Bhangra and Bollywood dance teams.
The Raniyaan, a Brampton, Canada-based Bhangra team, performed at the Strand. Photo by Corinne Davidson.
Bhangra is an energetic folk dance from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan that is associated traditionally with the harvest season. Though historically male-dominated, recent years have seen a surge of co-ed and all-female teams. Around 30 to 40 teams apply for the annual competition, with an acceptance rate of 20 percent to 25 percent, said Boston Bhangra President Rohit Bhambi.
“Bhangra is a very exciting dance … it’s almost a sports-like atmosphere,” Bhambi said. “People are cheering, it gets very loud at times, and the music is going to make you move. It’s a really immersive type of experience.”
The competition comprised student groups, like Carnegie Mellon University, and formal dance academies, like the Furteelay school in Michigan. Each performance was preceded by an independently produced introduction video.
Throughout their 7-to-12-minute performances, teams meshed Western songs like KRS-One’s “Sound of da Police” with Bollywood hits, like the 2019 “O Saki Saki.” Dhols (double-sided barrel drums) laid the foundation for the beat, while dancers used saaps – metal or wood X-shaped expanding instruments similar to accordions – to create accompanying clapping noises.
“It’s fun to reconnect with people I’ve known for 10 to 12 years and also get to see the new faces in Bhangra,” said Harjot Singh, coach of The Raniyaan, an all-female team from Brampton, Canada. “The best 16 dancers from our academy are the ones chosen to go.”
Singh said he has competed in the Boston competition two other times with his all-male group, so this year’s performance marks a first.
Another all-female team making its debut was Boston University’s Vakhri Taur Diyan. Co-captain Trisha Natarajan said the club began around three years ago, when its founders wanted to create a safe space for women to learn Bhangra dance and culture.
“Most of our members don’t come from any sort of dance background at all,” said Natarajan, who has a background in ballet and contemporary dance. “It’s been overwhelming to prep for this … but at the end of the day it’s mind-blowing that we even get to be on that stage.”
Guests and dancers crowded the Strand’s lobby during a 30-minute intermission, eating samosas and tikki masala and rice dinner boxes from catering company Mirchi Nation, before returning for the competition’s second half.
Toward the end, Punjabi singer Bhinda Jatt, best known for blending West Coast hip-hop with folk vocals, took to the stage while the judges deliberated. The 11 teams slowly returned, and while Jatt performed his biggest hits and Bhangra classics, a dance circle formed behind him—competition briefly pushed aside in communal celebration.
BU’s VTD took home the people’s choice award, determined by audience votes submitted through a QR code. Putt Sardaraan De, based in Seattle, Washington, was recognized for having the best Jodi — a pair of dancers — while best traditional outfits, Vardi or Vardiyaan, went to San Francisco Bay Area team Saanjhe.
Performances were evaluated on creativity and difficulty, and first, second and third were separated by two points, Bhambi said. Saanjhe, meaning “together” in Punjabi, placed third, winning $500, and was awarded “Best Mix.” The Raniyaan took second, winning $1,000. First place and the winner of $2,500 went to Apna Bhangra Crew, a 19-year-old team from Seattle, Wash.
This year, ABC debuted a co-ed lineup, which often makes team cohesion difficult, said coach Harmeet Dhaliwal. ABC’s all-boys team placed second in the 2018 competition, and to come out on top this year, Dhaliwal said the team has been practicing five to seven days a week.
“These 12 dancers on stage today have been learning from our dance academy since they were five or six years old … and they’ve never danced on another team,” Dhaliwal said. “I don’t know when the next time this group gets on stage. Life is busy, and I’m just glad they came together and did it one last time.”
Northeastern graduate student and ballroom dancer Elena Markovitz was invited to the competition by a friend, Maninder Singh. “I do another type of competitive dance, so it was exciting to see a completely different form,” Markovitz said.
Singh had seen Bhangra performed at weddings in India, but Saturday was his first time attending a competition. He said he had been rooting for the Boston-based teams, but Apna Bhangra Crew’s performance was particularly eye-catching.
“The last group stood out because they were telling a popular folk story,” the Somerville resident said. “The competition was awesome.”
This story is part of a partnership between the Dorchester Reporter and the Boston University Department of Journalism.
