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Meeting New People
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zagreus
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Last night I was at a High School Bhangra competition in Northern VA, and I noticed that high schoolers have it right. They approached everyone easily and helped each other out. I think I tied at least 10 paggan for various teams, and I feel like that number increased. But while I was tying each pagg, I noticed that the high schoolers were going around meeting each other and bonding. It was great seeing this. Of course there was no mixer, but that didn't matter. For these kids, it was the experience that mattered. I think that's what should matter for all of us. The experience. If we went into these mixers with all this cockiness and bravado, I doubt we'd have fun (although I'm sure people will think otherwise...for those who live for the bravado). Wherever I go I make myself approachable, and I'm clearly the guy always smiling or laughing.
Hell, last night I met BTF's very own Waleed. It was great meeting you man!
Hell, last night I met BTF's very own Waleed. It was great meeting you man!
Yeah, I'm not entirely sure why the attitude might be different with High Schoolers but it might just be because while we're still competitive, the competition isn't taken as seriously as say a competition like AVAP. We care about whether we win or lose but it's all a fun experience and at least for me, I love being able to perform in front of all of those people even though it's scary as hell. The thing with College competitions is that you have so much drama and hype surrounding every team that if a prominent team doesn't place like people thought they would, then everyone starts saying so much shit about the judges, the competition, and so much other pointless stuff that just doesn't happen as much with High School Competitions.
Also, I think it's good to start getting kids into Bhangra earlier on rather than in College because it seems to me like High School is the time where everyone tries a whole bunch of different things out and Bhangra can be one of them. In College, it seems to me like people are so busy with other stuff that they don't have the time to get into a commitment like joining a Bhangra team. My team meets every week so thats only 4 times a month and to be able to learn an entire routine, I would think that you would need more time then that to work everything especially with College teams trying to go to competitions. I'm not exactly sure about this, but I think some teams meet together even less than we do which seems crazy, especially when they're trying to place at a competition.
Also, I think it's good to start getting kids into Bhangra earlier on rather than in College because it seems to me like High School is the time where everyone tries a whole bunch of different things out and Bhangra can be one of them. In College, it seems to me like people are so busy with other stuff that they don't have the time to get into a commitment like joining a Bhangra team. My team meets every week so thats only 4 times a month and to be able to learn an entire routine, I would think that you would need more time then that to work everything especially with College teams trying to go to competitions. I'm not exactly sure about this, but I think some teams meet together even less than we do which seems crazy, especially when they're trying to place at a competition.
Vic
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I personally don't dance at mixers. I don't know why to be honest:S Sometimes I think its just better to save the energy for when it counts the most, and thats at the competition. Now don't attack me, but even though we're all there to have fun, we're also there to reach a goal. And thats to win. To be honest though, I would have to say that the hardest part is introducing yourself to another team. I feel that if I was to approach someone and say "I'm Vic from SGPD"...how would they react to that? I've heard some people be like "did you see the way so & so came over here like their the shit"... after I heard that I'm not too sure what a good introduction would be.
So my question is, what do you think the proper way to introduce yourself is?
and I think MAD is the one of the most social bunch of guys out there. When they came to Masti it was like our teams knew eachother forever. We even practiced together, and helped each other out where ever it was needed.
So my question is, what do you think the proper way to introduce yourself is?
and I think MAD is the one of the most social bunch of guys out there. When they came to Masti it was like our teams knew eachother forever. We even practiced together, and helped each other out where ever it was needed.
zagreus
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I agree with both of you Vick and Ashqe that high school isn't the same as college. But at the same time, I just wanted to make a point about meeting other people. I think there's a team out in west coast, Apna Bhangra Crew, which are made up of youngsters (younger than 18), and I met them once, and they're all about the environment as well. They entered a competition, Bhangra Bash, and I only heard good things about them. They remained competitive and still met other people.
Like I said, I just wanted to make a point that the bhangra community has become very polarized, and I don't really get it. Sure, you're out there to compete, but you're not out there to be pricks (are you?).
And Vic, I wouldn't mind you coming up to me and saying who you were, I'd actually expect that. I don't know any other way to introduce yourself than to say who you were.
Like I said, I just wanted to make a point that the bhangra community has become very polarized, and I don't really get it. Sure, you're out there to compete, but you're not out there to be pricks (are you?).
And Vic, I wouldn't mind you coming up to me and saying who you were, I'd actually expect that. I don't know any other way to introduce yourself than to say who you were.
Vijay
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one word comes to mind when i think about the matter of meeting new people/people introducing themselves: awkward.
heres why. vic im gonna use the examples u used and expand on those. lets say u went up to someone u've never met at a mixer and said, hi, im vic from sgpd. other guy/girl says, hi, im (blank), from (team). vic: oh cool, ..so...man, vancouver eh, thats a pretty far trip..guy: yea u know it was a decent flight...*Enter AWKWARD SILENCE.* "so...yea..well, good luck tomorrow at the competition!" this could be even more awkward if vic was introducing himself to the cap of another team, and it happens to be at the table where the rest of the 10-15 teammates are sitting. depends on the situation
some people are good at combating this by bs'ing or just talking about other bhangra related issues, some aren't. again, it depends obviously.
next scenario: mad and sgpd are both competing at another comp, they both know each other enough at this point to be excited to be able to chill and hang out again.
at the mixer: guys from mad and sgpd are both mingling, talking, poss dancing. is another team that has no idea who these guys are (that are having a grand ole time together) going to want to introduce themselves randomly? some may say yes, some no. either way, its awkward as crap for that 3rd random guy.
i also think its much harder for newer teams (mostly collegiate) that havent competed as much as experienced teams to be used to mingling and dancing with random ppl or introducing themselves, they usually like to stick to familiarity (aka their own team).
i know im thinking mad hypothetically (or maybe the sociology class i took is getting to my head hah), and a lot of factors come into play, but thats something that exists for sure i think
anyway, idk how to fix this as some people were saying..i think what fusion did was pretty solid, having ice breaker activities at a mixer is def something that forces everyone to be together and meet each other
k, yea, sry for the essay, Mitar Alvealahn Da bored.
heres why. vic im gonna use the examples u used and expand on those. lets say u went up to someone u've never met at a mixer and said, hi, im vic from sgpd. other guy/girl says, hi, im (blank), from (team). vic: oh cool, ..so...man, vancouver eh, thats a pretty far trip..guy: yea u know it was a decent flight...*Enter AWKWARD SILENCE.* "so...yea..well, good luck tomorrow at the competition!" this could be even more awkward if vic was introducing himself to the cap of another team, and it happens to be at the table where the rest of the 10-15 teammates are sitting. depends on the situation
some people are good at combating this by bs'ing or just talking about other bhangra related issues, some aren't. again, it depends obviously.
next scenario: mad and sgpd are both competing at another comp, they both know each other enough at this point to be excited to be able to chill and hang out again.
at the mixer: guys from mad and sgpd are both mingling, talking, poss dancing. is another team that has no idea who these guys are (that are having a grand ole time together) going to want to introduce themselves randomly? some may say yes, some no. either way, its awkward as crap for that 3rd random guy.
i also think its much harder for newer teams (mostly collegiate) that havent competed as much as experienced teams to be used to mingling and dancing with random ppl or introducing themselves, they usually like to stick to familiarity (aka their own team).
i know im thinking mad hypothetically (or maybe the sociology class i took is getting to my head hah), and a lot of factors come into play, but thats something that exists for sure i think
anyway, idk how to fix this as some people were saying..i think what fusion did was pretty solid, having ice breaker activities at a mixer is def something that forces everyone to be together and meet each other
k, yea, sry for the essay, Mitar Alvealahn Da bored.
In addition to Bhangra, I am also part of my school (Case Western)'s raas team. I've competed at tier-1 raas competitions like Raas Chaos (Washington DC) and Dandia Dhamaka (Ann Arbor, MI)
Now, for the sake of talking about meeting people - I am going to offer my experiences with these raas competitions in order to compare them to bhangra competitons that I have competed at.
First of all, here are a few assumptions why my experiences with raas MAY differ from experiences in bhangra:
1. Competitive raas is smaller than competitive bhangra. There are less teams and less competitions.
2. Raas teams really do not have legacies of greatness. And if they do, they do not last more than 3 years, approximately. Certain schools will always get good dancers, but choreography can change for the better or the worst every year. This is unlike in bhangra where certain powerhouse teams continue to stay powerhouses no matter who choreographs for them.
3. Bhangra is more accessible than Raas. Raas music cannot be sold and thus does not reach out to the public. Naturally, since bhangra music is popular to the masses, people are inclined to find out about teams..etc
In my experiences at Dandia Dhamaka/Raas Chaos, people have loved to mingle. At Raas Chaos, we had a simple mixer where people were put into groups and simply talked. People played "never have i ever" or just talked about random stuff. It was hella fun and you never felt weird about talking to "OMG ITS MARYLAND RAAS TEAM". Dandia Dhamaka mixer had an obstacle course which was cool, but often times teams started to chill their own, but were open to talking to new people. (I breakdanced with the entire Indiana Raas)
I agree that it is difficult to mingle with powerhouse teams. However, I think a lot of your awkward situations are personal rather than general for everyone. There are plenty of things to talk about and it shouldn't matter whether you're at a raas competition, bhangra competition or even a basketball game: tell crazy stories, talk about how crazy it is to be indian, joke about hilarious experiences someone on your team had..etc. Be entertaining and people will open up to you.
There are always those people who don't want to meet new people and stay in their group. Whatever. Some environments are more receptive to meeting new people than others (meeting people at mxers versus meeting them at the actual event). It may be intimidating approaching powerhouse teams, but realize that no one loses anything from making a new friend.
Now, for the sake of talking about meeting people - I am going to offer my experiences with these raas competitions in order to compare them to bhangra competitons that I have competed at.
First of all, here are a few assumptions why my experiences with raas MAY differ from experiences in bhangra:
1. Competitive raas is smaller than competitive bhangra. There are less teams and less competitions.
2. Raas teams really do not have legacies of greatness. And if they do, they do not last more than 3 years, approximately. Certain schools will always get good dancers, but choreography can change for the better or the worst every year. This is unlike in bhangra where certain powerhouse teams continue to stay powerhouses no matter who choreographs for them.
3. Bhangra is more accessible than Raas. Raas music cannot be sold and thus does not reach out to the public. Naturally, since bhangra music is popular to the masses, people are inclined to find out about teams..etc
In my experiences at Dandia Dhamaka/Raas Chaos, people have loved to mingle. At Raas Chaos, we had a simple mixer where people were put into groups and simply talked. People played "never have i ever" or just talked about random stuff. It was hella fun and you never felt weird about talking to "OMG ITS MARYLAND RAAS TEAM". Dandia Dhamaka mixer had an obstacle course which was cool, but often times teams started to chill their own, but were open to talking to new people. (I breakdanced with the entire Indiana Raas)
I agree that it is difficult to mingle with powerhouse teams. However, I think a lot of your awkward situations are personal rather than general for everyone. There are plenty of things to talk about and it shouldn't matter whether you're at a raas competition, bhangra competition or even a basketball game: tell crazy stories, talk about how crazy it is to be indian, joke about hilarious experiences someone on your team had..etc. Be entertaining and people will open up to you.
There are always those people who don't want to meet new people and stay in their group. Whatever. Some environments are more receptive to meeting new people than others (meeting people at mxers versus meeting them at the actual event). It may be intimidating approaching powerhouse teams, but realize that no one loses anything from making a new friend.
zagreus
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I'm just curious to know how a powerhouse team would respond to someone saying "Hi, I'm Jasmeet and I'm with GMU Patriot Bhangra, and this is one of the team's first bhangra competitions." This is response to what Vic wrote. Instead of you saying you were from SGPD, someone came up to you and introduced themselves, and they actually had no idea who you were.
Vic, Nikhil, Vijay or anyone on a "powerhouse" bhangra team, how would you react to that? I'm perfectly fine saying that to anyone. But let's just say say that someone walked up to you and was initially shy/reserved to talk to any other teams, but went ahead and introduced themselves to you.
From my limited experience, I've found that people on other teams are really receptive and will want to chill and hang out. Are there actually people who would brush off an introduction? Although, ok...I have found that it is a little harder to talk to an all-girls team. They usually think a guy is trying to hit on them. But oh well...they probably are.
Vic, Nikhil, Vijay or anyone on a "powerhouse" bhangra team, how would you react to that? I'm perfectly fine saying that to anyone. But let's just say say that someone walked up to you and was initially shy/reserved to talk to any other teams, but went ahead and introduced themselves to you.
From my limited experience, I've found that people on other teams are really receptive and will want to chill and hang out. Are there actually people who would brush off an introduction? Although, ok...I have found that it is a little harder to talk to an all-girls team. They usually think a guy is trying to hit on them. But oh well...they probably are.
rajkaran
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In response to Amrik,
Yes it's true...Thank you, Amrik. lol
Yes...it was a bit awkward wearing a patka on a raas team and being the only sardaar at both Raas Chaos and Garbafest...but it was awesome!
on a side note...our mixer at VIBC wasnt all too great (but still fun)...so what did our team do? we bonded with the little kids bhangra team that performed for us at the mixer...all the other teams were jealous because we were sipping mocktails with 8 year olds...
Yes it's true...Thank you, Amrik. lol
Yes...it was a bit awkward wearing a patka on a raas team and being the only sardaar at both Raas Chaos and Garbafest...but it was awesome!
on a side note...our mixer at VIBC wasnt all too great (but still fun)...so what did our team do? we bonded with the little kids bhangra team that performed for us at the mixer...all the other teams were jealous because we were sipping mocktails with 8 year olds...
Vic
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Happy Birthday Rajkaran
In response to Jasmeet...
I wouldn't consider SGPD a power house. One good season doesn't prove anything. Lets see how the upcoming season plays out.
As for someone introducing themselves (whether another team is a "powerhouse" or not)... I would say it shouldn't really matter. I'm a social guy, and if someone approaches me I will talk to them. Its cool to know when someone started dancing, or how long they have been doing, etc. So who really cares what "status" a team has.
But I will say the most ahkward moment is approaching someone that doesn't want to talk to you. I feel like slapping the person and saying "I can't have a conversation myself"... it's a piss off.
I'm also a competitive guy though, so sometimes I find it ahkward when I know someone/team really wants to beat us lol. And when you walk in the entire team stares at you:S. I dont like it ahha.
I have another question... I've walked into mixers late, and there are so many teams and people there. And I think to myself, Do I shake everyones hand and introduce myself?... I never do though lol. Logically it would take a really long time if My entire team was to introduce themselves to everyother person and team. So I just leave it to the friendly Wave and Smile. lol
In response to Jasmeet...
I wouldn't consider SGPD a power house. One good season doesn't prove anything. Lets see how the upcoming season plays out.
As for someone introducing themselves (whether another team is a "powerhouse" or not)... I would say it shouldn't really matter. I'm a social guy, and if someone approaches me I will talk to them. Its cool to know when someone started dancing, or how long they have been doing, etc. So who really cares what "status" a team has.
But I will say the most ahkward moment is approaching someone that doesn't want to talk to you. I feel like slapping the person and saying "I can't have a conversation myself"... it's a piss off.
I'm also a competitive guy though, so sometimes I find it ahkward when I know someone/team really wants to beat us lol. And when you walk in the entire team stares at you:S. I dont like it ahha.
I have another question... I've walked into mixers late, and there are so many teams and people there. And I think to myself, Do I shake everyones hand and introduce myself?... I never do though lol. Logically it would take a really long time if My entire team was to introduce themselves to everyother person and team. So I just leave it to the friendly Wave and Smile. lol
zagreus
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I think the term "powerhouse" is subjective and varies amongst people. I simply took what was written by others and used it as my personal opinion. But its good to know you actively get involved in meeting others. That's what i personally do. I was basically curious to know if a status of a team dictates the actual "mixing" that goes on at mixers. I don't believe status plays a role at all, it's nothing to do with the person. I mean, people do have lives outside of bhangra, i would hope.
I've been in that awkward position before when i approached someone, but in the end I just moved on with my life. I'm sure that person kept that unfriendly demeanor and was happy with it.
And Vic, what if everyone was looking at you when you entered the room because let's just say for this purpose..you were the best looking person in the room? They might just be jealous. hahaha.
As to introducing yourself to everyone in the room individually. Well, I don't think you'd have to do that at all. You can be selective in who you personally talk to, but if someone comes up to you, I guess that person is entitled to the same respect and open-hearted nature we discussed. I mean, if you go into a mixer looking for girls to talk to, by all means...go ahead.
I love meeting new people at these mixers and stuff. I even leave my team behind in some cases...hahhaaha. Jap and Jaideep can vouch for that too. Of course, i always bring whoever along. I don't mind socializing and hanging out with every other team because you never know when your last competition will be.
I've been in that awkward position before when i approached someone, but in the end I just moved on with my life. I'm sure that person kept that unfriendly demeanor and was happy with it.
And Vic, what if everyone was looking at you when you entered the room because let's just say for this purpose..you were the best looking person in the room? They might just be jealous. hahaha.
As to introducing yourself to everyone in the room individually. Well, I don't think you'd have to do that at all. You can be selective in who you personally talk to, but if someone comes up to you, I guess that person is entitled to the same respect and open-hearted nature we discussed. I mean, if you go into a mixer looking for girls to talk to, by all means...go ahead.
I love meeting new people at these mixers and stuff. I even leave my team behind in some cases...hahhaaha. Jap and Jaideep can vouch for that too. Of course, i always bring whoever along. I don't mind socializing and hanging out with every other team because you never know when your last competition will be.
Waleed
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I like when the organizers make mix up the seating arrangement and you are forced to sit with other teams. You may have to step outside your comfort zone but teams members get an opportunity to network and just converse. It always refreshing to meet people like Govind, Nikhil and the entire Columbia crew who make an effort to meet new people and atleast say hello.
Dayum Vic, thats no fun but if I was you I'd be a little flattered, haha. Its awesome hangin out with you boys, we def have MAD love for SGPD.
It's simple, at the mixers, each table should have 1 team member from every team.. It isn't that hard to do, and it will work! Create games that have some sort of group activity so the people are forced to talk to each other, and before you know it, all the awkwardness is gone... Fusion does it better than anyone else...
amriksahni
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Vick, they did that at Blowout and I heard it was a mess. People were just really cliquey and didn't want to hang out with their nemeses...
Amrik
Amrik