Look at what you guys did to Bhangra

[Summy]

Haha, this is funny. But look at it, look at what it has been reduced to. Watch the google video.

The video is of one of those events in India where desi guys go to meet desi girls but the guys outweigh the desi girls like 15:1, and the guys that are there try to impress the girls by doing everything way too extra... You can tell this is the case because of where the girls are standing in relation to everyone else, and what attire is being worn... This is awesome.



http://www.shindasingh.com/blog/2006/04/07/why-why/#Null

 

[Jeeti]

I don't understand the thread title...BTF most definitely did not do this to bhangra brother.

 

[Temurzai]

i think wats more appalling is the racist comments under the video...i hate when some sikh punjabis think theyre gods gifted at bhangra and hindus muslims goray etc cant dance. im sure there are those that will read this that are like that too, too bad u wont ever speak up.

 

[Saleem]

OH EM GEE.

I've never seen this (it's the source for Bhangra Blowout Logo)

 

[mafzal]

i think wats more appalling is the racist comments under the video...i hate when some sikh punjabis think theyre gods gifted at bhangra and hindus muslims goray etc cant dance. im sure there are those that will read this that are like that too, too bad u wont ever speak up.

Yeah ummm Dance is learned, not born into you... someone may be a gifted natural dancer - but because they are gifted with grace, athleticism, beat... not born a good bhangra dancer [ no offense B2B ] that's all learned.

The only advantage Punjabis have is they might have grown up with the beats, been exposed to it more, understanding language (though really any kid can grow up learning punjabi language - that's also learnt and not born into you). Totally agreed, Taiymur. I've seen plenty of "jatt sikh punjabi" GUYS who suck at bhangra. Definitely not "in your blood". In your blood, in your heritage, sure.

That comment guy is an idiot.

 

[Summy]

Jeeti, I think if you read his comments he says that something that he hates about bhangra is the commercialization and that it has gone from a respectful, cultural art form, to some bullshit that you see in hindi films, and people making fools of themselves while throwing their arms around. Its become diluted and its become to the point where nobody dances for any cutlural reason anymore hence those people. I didnt mind it though, I thought it was funny.

Taiymur, your right, people are idiots like that, and unforunately they assoicate themselves with my religion. Your religion obviously doesnt dictate your capability to dance. Obviously there are muslim and hindu punjabis and these have as much cultural connection to bhangra as sikhs do.

 

[mafzal]

Taiymur, your right, people are idiots like that, and unforunately they assoicate themselves with my religion. Your religion obviously doesnt dictate your capability to dance. Obviously there are muslim and hindu punjabis and these have as much cultural connection to bhangra as sikhs do.

* Applause * Well said.

Can you believe this next guy:

"It is quite evident that these people are not punjabi and therefore their dancing skills are not up to par"

wooooowwwwwwwwwww

 

[Saleem]

Honestly, I have seen some terrible Punjabi dancers, sikh and non-sikh. Jeeti's right, Summy, BTF and this demographic is a completely different demographic than those guys. In fact, I think those are the people you're upset at, dancing awkwardly and regurgitating pop-bhangra lyrics. As you know, here we often share super-traditional bhangra, discuss the meanings and origins of boliyan, and discuss the dance itself. It's a completely different animal than what you see in that dance.

 

[Kush]

(Not to steal your line, saleem, but this felt appropriate)

OH EMM GEE!

Quote from a comment by "Booshoo"

"Speak on it, my snigha ,Speak on it

Only in Kailifornia, when my snighas rome free and run up on ya

speak on it my snigha, speak on it".

Forget the rest of it... honestly, the comments aren't even worth getting hyped about, cause its IGNORANCE, pure and simple.

 

[Kamran786]

i think wats more appalling is the racist comments under the video...i hate when some sikh punjabis think theyre gods gifted at bhangra and hindus muslims goray etc cant dance. im sure there are those that will read this that are like that too, too bad u wont ever speak up.

Word. Couldn't have said it better. Its sort of sad to have nasty backwards prejudice in your own community. People need to read a book or something.

 

[Kush]

I can't get over "snigha"... absurd

 

[jvirk]

terrible

 

[Kamran786]

I can't get over "snigha"... absurd

Whats a snigha?

 

[Kush]

Based on the spirit of the comments, the following came to mind:

sikh + n*gga = snigha

 

[Kamran786]

Based on the spirit of the comments, the following came to mind:

sikh + n*gga = snigha

Oh. Nasty.

 

[Saab]

I thought that video was funny and I think that its real hard to knock people who are trying to have fun. If your going to knock the commercialization of bhangra you might be looking at the wrong people, as I think the formation of this forum and its intent is to educate its members and guests on the cultural art-form that is bhangra, not whats in that video, through meaningful discussion on topics pertaining from how to perform moves all the way to issues such as this one. Summy I respect the point you made and the concern you show, but I feel personally that this video just shows people having fun and its almost impossible to try to stop that or make us the scapegoats for why you feel this commercialization is occurring.

 

[Summy]

I thought that video was funny and I think that its real hard to knock people who are trying to have fun. If your going to knock the commercialization of bhangra you might be looking at the wrong people, as I think the formation of this forum and its intent is to educate its members and guests on the cultural art-form that is bhangra, not whats in that video, through meaningful discussion on topics pertaining from how to perform moves all the way to issues such as this one. Summy I respect the point you made and the concern you show, but I feel personally that this video just shows people having fun and its almost impossible to try to stop that or make us the scapegoats for why you feel this commercialization is occurring.

I understand that the only thing I have with the bhangra community is SOMETIMES that it becomes way too much. The competitions, the monye put into it, the music and the lyrics, its like, I remember when I was a kid growing up in India, Bhangra was something of pride and uniqueness, and its just got to the level where it is almost mocked by bollywood, and the mainstream bhangra artists.

I will never understand traditionaility of bhangra, maybe someone can explain it to me. It may be traditional in the way one may move, but isnt traditionality contingent on tradition? Isnt tradition of punjabi culture when referring to bhangra as speaking to prosperity. I was always taught that bhangra was something that farmers sang when farming, to pass time. They danced when they good returns for crops. I just think when it is mass produced it looses its glamour and glory. Especially when there is NO prosperity in especially the farming section of Punjab, I really dont understand the connection.

I guess you use old bolis and mix it with tradition, but I guess I wont understand it, unless someone can explain it. I am honestly interested, not saying what you are doing is wrong or anything, just interested

 

[Pooja]

I don't even care about the video, it's pretty irrelevant to this conversation now. Those folks were just having fun, who cares if they're not doing "proper bhangra" they're having fun that's all that matters.

The comments are filthy and ridiculous and just goes to show how many people in our community are so ignorant and ridiculously unaware of what their own identity means. Last time I checked, Punjabi was not a religion, but rather a heritage.

JEEZ.

 

[Kanvar]

good on ya pooja...keepin it real

 

[yraparla]

I recently read someone arguing that the whole tradition of Bhangra representing farmers steps, etc. is in fact a myth. I'll see if I can find the source. His argument was that Bhangra, as we now know it, is an amalgamation of many dances (which we already knew), and it was really formed in 'refugee' camps after Separation with many different peoples passing time and teaching each other their individual regional steps. So some steps may represent farming, but for the most part Bhangra is just a hash of dances from the different areas.

I know we've discussed history of Bhangra before, but a search didnt' bring up the thread I was thinking about.