Bhangra Empire will NOT be performing at Elite 8 2012

[Basim]

For those that keep up with the Bhangra Empire blog by Omer (former dancer/now "coach"), he stated that Bhangra Empire will NOT be performing at Elite 8 2012 in one of his latest blog posts: http://bhangraempire.com/blog/2011/11/17/elite-8-2012-predictions-and-thoughts/

The 4th paragraph states:

"That being said, we will not be performing at Elite 8 this year. Though we didn’t get an ‘official’ invite, we were contacted by the committee a couple of months ago to discuss the possibility of returning to Elite 8 for a 3rd straight year. Again, I went to the team to see if they would be interested, and this time they were not. So we let the committee know right then that we were not interested this year. Why, you ask? Well, the main reason is we have been to Washington DC 4 times now. We wanted to focus more on a local competition in the Bay Area instead. And of course, we assumed the judging would be the same. And at this point, for us, it did not make sense to return to a competition that placed us near the bottom each year even though we put on extremely clean, energetic, creative, and entertaining performances both years. Should we have won first both years? I’m not saying that, but at the same time, it is difficult for a team to get motivated to practice for a performance that they have lost before even stepping foot on stage, and that has been the case both years at Elite."


You can give credit to Detective Basim for this finding I guess it's time to alter those predictions everyone.


~ Basim

 

[Mukandpuria]

I saw this comming

 

[Mans]

Bhangra Empire performing at local competitions? That will be a change of pace for them. Guess they might try for DDA since Nachda Punjab is this Saturday

 

[sgrewal30]

bottom line: we dont place there so we don't wanna go anymore.

 

[Mans]

bottom line: we dont place there so we don't wanna go anymore.

Pretty blunt haha

 

[faizan]

he's right...empire shouldn't come, it's not worth it. A competition that good should invite teams that have at least a chance of placing. Empire and sad to say (unless they change of their style) APD walk into Elite 8 every year with the modern handicap. The problem that he fails to see is that his team;s style is obsolete from a competitive stand point. I can count the amount of competitions that cater to their style on my thumbs. We are the 95%.


Here's an example: At Boston the last two years NYPD and AEG have placed and even won. 2 years ago at Boston that would be tough as hell. 2 years ago teams like APD and Empire were strong favorites. They placed first last year, but second this year. Why? Not because the competition has changed, it's because the judging did. Competitions like boston now want to attract a more representative cross-section of the circuit, rather than their old approach of inviting Cali teams. There were no 5 Boston teams this year. Things are changing, and Empire can stick to their style. I respect them for being the most important bhangra team in the world. But, no one can deny the changes that have occurred. It is what it is ya'll.

 

[HarmanSingh]

Makes sense for Empire not to go to Elite 8. They do not have the dancing ability to win or even come close to winning. Empire has not changed their routine much at all for 4+ years. You can almost always predict what their routine will look like. It isn't even that they have a style they are sticking to, they just re-arrange the same moves in their routine every year. Yes they are clean and energetic, but they have no grace or technical dancing ability. Also, I don't even see how they are that creative. What gimmick have they had that is so amazing creatively?

 

[faizan]

Clock Saaps were hot bro...come on...

 

[HarmanSingh]

Clock Saaps were hot bro...come on...

It was a little corny for me. I guess the point I am making is creatively at Elite 8 they have not stood out more than NJ, SGPD, VCU, APD or any number of teams. The 2 areas they have executed is synchronization and formations. I don't think that is enough to deserve an invite.

 

[faizan]

correct.

 

[Mans]

It was a little corny for me. I guess the point I am making is creatively at Elite 8 they have not stood out more than NJ, SGPD, VCU, APD or any number of teams. The 2 areas they have executed is synchronization and formations. I don't think that is enough to deserve an invite.



Yeah they havent really done anything different more awhile now. Even Boston still kinda felt like some of the same stuff even though they changed it a lot.

 

[mithu]

[SIZE=medium]
Clock Saaps were hot bro...come on...
[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]

It was a little corny for me. I guess the point I am making is creatively at Elite 8 they have not stood out more than NJ, SGPD, VCU, APD or any number of teams. The 2 areas they have executed is synchronization and formations. I don't think that is enough to deserve an invite.
[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]


Exactly what i thought. Also the mixes were to similar from 2010 and 2011, also seemed like they reused A LOT of choero from the previous year at elite 8 this year. [/SIZE]

 

[Basim]

Mans - welcome to BTF. Nice to see you join and immediately begin hating on a team.

Just what we need more of! YAY!

~ Basim

 

[Yankee Saini]

acha ji! eh gall aa! MMMMMMMMMMM . . . ;D

 

[Mans]

Mans - welcome to BTF. Nice to see you join and immediately begin hating on a team.

Just what we need more of! YAY!

~ Basim

Thanks for the welcome ;D .


I didnt mean to start my debut to btf as hating on bhangra empire. Im not trying to hate just my opinion on some things that Bhangra Empire does.

 

[sartajjudge]

Well, I can't say that I saw this exact scenario coming- Bhangra Empire deciding themselves that they won't be going to Elite 8 2k'12, but I was guessing that they were not going to get an invite for the 2k'12 year competition. They are a great team, and are definitely a favorite for many fans. However, their routine is very similar year after year, and at the end of the day other teams are just more creative and adaptive, as in they keep changing and improving their routines to try to keep up or ahead of the competition.


If they are frustrated that they did not place at either Elite 8 (2010 & 2011), I can see why. Their first Elite 8 performance was very entertaining, and many people felt that they should have won in 2010- there are countless comments (on the YouTube video uploaded by Harjothundal) regarding how Empire should have won the competition, with the YouTube video uploaded having over 1 million views to date. Personally my favorite was VCU in 2010, and they did win that year.


At the end of the day, although it is a honor for a team to be invited to perform at Elite 8, it can be frustrating for the seven teams that don't win because I'm sure they've put in just as much effort, and have come in with hopes of winning. This is one of the competitions where there are no 2nd and 3rd placings. It's a win it all or go home with nothing situation. I know how it feels to be in a situation to put in 110% and end up walking away empty handed, so I can't blame Bhangra Empire for their decision not to perform next year.


Good luck to Bhangra Empire in their future competitions.

 

[J Wong]

Makes sense for Empire not to go to Elite 8. They do not have the dancing ability to win or even come close to winning. Empire has not changed their routine much at all for 4+ years. You can almost always predict what their routine will look like. It isn't even that they have a style they are sticking to, they just re-arrange the same moves in their routine every year. Yes they are clean and energetic, but they have no grace or technical dancing ability. Also, I don't even see how they are that creative. What gimmick have they had that is so amazing creatively?

I think its wrong to say they don't have the "dancing ability;" Empire has good dancers but they are best suited for a more modern style. I think the correct thing to say here is that their style doesn't have the ability to win with these specific judges. But you are correct with the lack of choreo change; Empire should have changed their choreo semester to semester in my opinion but they got stuck in a mold that worked for a while and its hard to break those molds.

 

[Deepi253]

b empire 2010 elite was fun to watch ... b empire 2011 wasnt ... although they were not the only team that i didnt like watching.

like lbc was not good ... same with duniya ..

2010 should have had better teams ..
2011 should have had better teams ..

2011 virsa was horible and same with panj... should have been aeg and shan e

like if 2012 teams do not actually look like they are doign bad ass good quality bhangra i wont watch it again. As a viewer i think elite 8 should really think bout actually greatness and quality of bhangra of a team rather then stupid oh this team has mad crowed love lets bring them in. Judging also needs a fixin

heres an idea !

take out all the sick teams everyone is dieing to see ... sgpd nj pcbca panj empire aeg

make their captains the judges

invite teams that are getting big not teams that are already big ...


that will be a comp to see

 

[Sue Sylvester]

Makes sense for Empire not to go to Elite 8. They do not have the dancing ability to win or even come close to winning. Empire has not changed their routine much at all for 4+ years. You can almost always predict what their routine will look like. It isn't even that they have a style they are sticking to, they just re-arrange the same moves in their routine every year. Yes they are clean and energetic, but they have no grace or technical dancing ability. Also, I don't even see how they are that creative. What gimmick have they had that is so amazing creatively?

A good % of their guy dancer roster have danced for VDW and other live teams. You cannot deny their dancing ability and dancing versatility as individual dancers if they can do a solid folk live set one day and then go modern the next day. For that, I give them a lot of respect. Technical dancing also depends completely on the style.


--


At the end of the day, Elite 8 is a competition that caters to a specific style. If Empire doesn't want to compete, then they shouldn't be villianized for not wanting to. But for those saying that Empire wouldn't have gotten the bid anyways, I really don't think that's true. Both APD and Empire have been kinda MIA in the circuit in the last year. APD was NASTY at Elite 8, but Bruin was a bit disappointing. Empire may not have competed at Bruin, but they placed 2nd at BBC and APD was unfortunately very lackluster with redundant/repeated choreography and the same old stunts. I think Empire would have easily gotten the bid over APD and if they didn't, after BBC weekend, that would have been a travesty.

 

[Anik915]

Empire's style is obviously different than the other teams competing at elite 8.
While they may be replaced by a team that is better suited for the comp, it's a loss for the audience and entertainment factor for elite 8; their modern sets are catered towards today's modern audiences and definitely presented a change of pace. Whether they place well or not, they are an asset for competitions attempting to entertain a majority of audience members who are not well-versed in appreciating more traditional Bhangra sets.