Bhangra segments in a traditional routine

[shwinerz]

Heyy, first off want to say thanks to everyone thats already posted a lot of information about this stuff on BTF. I've spent hours going through and reading and trying to take in a lot from here but I wanted to post just so some of the experts could help out.

I've become choreo of our team up here in Scotland. Resources for bhangra are very hard to come by and pretty much everything we learn is off the internet. This year I want to understand what goes into a traditional routine (so a mix routine with traditional elements).
At the moment I have


prop segments, jhummer, dhamaal, sial koti, phumania, jodiyan, jugni, bedi, mirza and sammi.
Theres a couple that I've found listed but I don't actually know what they are like luddi, and lehria has been discussed on another post but I'm still not exactly sure what it is?

Is there any other segments that are meant to be in a routine that I am missing out?

Thanks! Ash

 

[siddyp]

one thing you should remember: Segments are either based off of a prop, dhol beat, and footwork.

Segments such as jhummer, mirza, phumania, dhamaal have a specific dhol beat, and specific footwork that it is based off of. You generally see just dhamaal footwork/dhamaal steps being done to a dhamaal beat. Same with jhummer, mirza, etc.

I wouldn't say there is such a thing as a "bedi segment" because bedi is just a step. Same with jodiya, and sammi. When we offer feedback to teams, its just easy to say, "your jodiya segment was sick" because we refer to that song/part of the routine where jodiya was.

I like to call segments that use a chaal or bhangra dhol beat, a bhangra segment. It comprises of various steps that aren't specific to a dhol beat. What I mean by that is you won't see someone doing fasla to a dhamaal beat. Or you won't see kabootar chaal in a jhummer segment. Those steps won't go with those beats, but they could go with a bhangra or chaal beat. (don't take this negatively. If you make a step work and it looks good, do it.)


One thing to note when creating a routine is to not hold yourself back from mixing it up. One of my favorite parts of a routine was when Nachdi Jawani was doing a bhangra segment, dropped into jhoomer for a short time, and went back to a bhangra beat. don't hold yourself back from being creative. Sure the song did it on its own, but again, don't be afraid to push boundaries. Here's the video:

[Nachdi Jawani] Bhangre Di Mehfil 2011 - watch from 4:24

You can put different steps in different segments, just make sure it flows and goes with it. An example of this would be putting khichaan in a dhamaal segment.


In regards to the last question about luddi, and lehria, maybe more people can shed knowledge, but I was taught that luddi just means a repetition of a step. I've also seen it referred to as the same step as tunka. I've seen people call different steps lehria, but I've always known it as this step at 9:33

zonal youth festival of 2008 (team khadur sahib)


hope this helps! ask more questions if I confused you

 

[singhk1]

Youtube search teams like
Shan E Punjab
Nachdi Jawani
Virsa folkstars/Our tradition
Guru Nanak Dev University
Shivichand Bhangra
Gabroo punjabis

That's just a few, they'll be real influential all great teams
just remember nakhra is huge in any move/segment you do Your facial expression sets the mood of the performance

 

[SanghaSoldier]

Nachdi's your best bet for a traditional routine.


Nachdi Jawani @ Dhol Di Awaz 2009


This video has a lot of traditional elements you could pick up from. One of my fav NJ sets too.
You can learn a thing or two about nakhra as well from watching Ranjit (red jori).

 

[Ricky916]

This is our video from a few years back that has moves annotated,

http://youtu.be/bI-eNyW5UN8

 

[shwinerz]

Hey guys, thanks a lot for your replies so far. I guess what I'm looking for is say the rubric for a competition is more traditional rather than creative, what segments would you look to put in. I understand now a couple of things I wrote were moves and not segments as such, so which segments are meant to be in? Did I miss anything out?

I've watched a lot of live Bhangra teams too, and I recognise a lot of what goes into their routines but I'm just wanting to know if there's something I'm missing?

 

[yraparla]

Hey guys, thanks a lot for your replies so far. I guess what I'm looking for is say the rubric for a competition is more traditional rather than creative, what segments would you look to put in. I understand now a couple of things I wrote were moves and not segments as such, so which segments are meant to be in? Did I miss anything out?

I've watched a lot of live Bhangra teams too, and I recognise a lot of what goes into their routines but I'm just wanting to know if there's something I'm missing?

Demand that the judges/comp tells you. There is 0 reason you should be guessing at this for a competition. If it's a more traditional comp it needs to be clear what is required and what is merely suggested.

In general though keep in mind that the more distinct segments you have, the less likely you are to repeat steps/ideas and come off as repetitive so it always behooves teams to hit as many segments as they can imo

 

[shwinerz]

Thanks Swi, will do when registration opens up!

Do you guys know of any segments I've missed out at all?

 

[Cherag]

[SIZE=small]Traditional steps are those like pataka, and jhandu singha, but these moves are put together to make segments, based on their speed, leg use (single dhamaal legs or faslaan). Segments are then put together to make a set such as khunda, shikkey, katto, jhoomer, sammian, etc. Another huge thing to keep in mind is what segment works with what Dhol rolls/beats, for example, introduction for jhoomer in a live segment, is done a certain way, based on dhol and speed, supported by the moves. In the reference points for segments that have been given above are great. Bhangra is executed, how you interrupt it, or want to interrupt it. Like Swi said, if the competition requires you to be more traditional then, traditional Bhangra requires (from my interpretation), certain segments that are seen to be commonly used. Really make sure, on how traditional the competition is, maybe they require phummaniaan, but are you aloud to do a variation? Maybe just the simple 16 count is asked for and I'm talking the 'tin tara' kind. Again it is all up to you, the fact that certain segments are out there, are present, really do assist in creating and packaging your set. Even when you go to a mixer, in these day, and there's a dance battle, teams will just be like, "let's do phummania to the song", or" let's drop it into jugni, because the beat drops at the chorus". Personally I feel like, if there was a lack of structure things would be all over the place. Make a routine with what is asked by judges, but make yourself stand out as a team. If it's traditional, that the competition requires, make sure that your dancers are executing the traditional elements like modhe and chatke to their best, because of course that is what will be looked for, and how you do justice to the art form. But if creativity is what is asked for, then really thrive to step out of the box in how you vary and test your dancing to it's highest ability. Just my two cents, good luck with your team! [/SIZE]

 

[shwinerz]

Thanks Chereg, thats really really helpful.

The way Edinburgh Bhangra Crew works is we are a very small university group here in Scotland... Majority of our members are British and we have very few Indians. Originally started up by some south asians that wanted to do bhangra for fun but now we have a new focus on competing and want to further educate ourselves to be able to understand what goes into a routine.

When I joined a couple of years ago the level and knowledge of bhangra was much more basic, its only this year the students are going to be taught about segments. We teach a routine in term one starting September, and use the routine for our competition in January, with small changes according to rubric.

Since I'm making the routine just now, I'm aware that there could be and probably are some segments that I don't know about. Of course from a competitive point of view it depends whats on the rubric, but even if its not stated from the competition I'd like to know what is there to improve my understanding.

Also Cherag could you let me know what modhe and chatke are? Although I may try I really don't speak Punjabi in the slightest aha