Touching the stage

[Pooja]

on the note of touching the stage....

I first learned to do that in classical dance, and every since then I have done the same "namaskaram" before I dance (practice/competition/event...whatever it may be) every time.

However, I think that although some teams/individuals do understand what it means and it is truly coming from their heart, I think that there is no need to show it on stage...it's a personal thing, about respect and devotion. I always do it right when I get on, before the curtain is drawn....and I feel like these days people just do it to impress the judges as Vick said.

Why is there a need for everyone to be standing in a line and doing it? I just think it loses it's meaning then when you want to MAKE SURE someone/judges see you doing it...and it feels like that's what happens lately...

 

[Meistro]

Re: Every Bhanga Dancer's Mission

i was taught that you should touch and respect the dhol because without it, there would be no bhangra. you touch the stage because without it, there would be no place to perform. Another reason why I touch the stage is to have a safe/injury-free performance. Its just like when kabaddi players touch the dirt before entering a match. Some dholis touch their dhol to the ground before and after performing so that they may have a successful performance. Its almost as if you become one with the environment in which you are performing. Sub consciously you become in the zone. Now, bhangra is definately something that is very fun to do, but there are serious aspects as well (which are mentioned above). I dont mean to make it sound like some sort of divine ritual, its just something you do. Theres nothing religious about that. I think its more spiritual................and vick, your boy, barry bonds used to point to the sky every time he hit a home run. Is it because he needed something and God came through? How frequent did he practice religion? loll

 

[rajkaran]

Re: Every Bhanga Dancer's Mission

Hey all,
I know I'm not a BTF regular poster...but here are my two cents:

I personally think that even though some people touch the stage without knowing the significance of doing so, it is still a way to at least START understanding why it is important. Slowly, they should become aware of it's significance.

but then again, I can also see why others can view this process of learning to respect the stage as a "fake" act to impress judges...

I guess you really have to know the person before judging their sincerity...

--
My reply to the original topic: Though i can't speak for every bhangra dancer, i guess I'd have to say that my personal missions are to become a clean, proper bhangra dancer and to try to understand exactly why I enjoy it....meeting people/partying is definitely a plus though

 

[Meistro]

Re: Every Bhanga Dancer's Mission

dude ive helllllaaaaaaaaaaa seen teams coming out on stage, actually RUNNING to the front of the stage, touching the floor, then running to the dhol and touching it, as if its choreographed, liek a little act. What a sorry exhibition.

 

[rajkaran]

Re: Every Bhanga Dancer's Mission

Oh yeah...i def did not mean planned/choreographed touching of the stage for impressing the judges...i too believe that's just wrong and a bit immoral

i was referring to those people who don't know the significance of touching stage who copy their more experienced teammates offstage when touching the stage...like me, for example...i used to see other teammates touch the floor offstage and started to do it offstage as well thinking "Oh, that's what we should do before dancing"...but then, after a while i came to understand exactly why i was touching the stage...it wasn't copying my teammate anymore, it was for respect for the stage/dance...

...sorry for the confusion

 

[Amit]

Re: Every Bhanga Dancer's Mission

I personally have no problem with people touching the stage before/after a performance. Last year, our team would touch the stage after every performance then kind of salute the audience and walk off.

We barely had any punjabis on our team and I'm sure that a lot of us would never have known to touch the stage if one of our seniors hadn't told us of the significance of it. As someone said before, that is how you learn to understand and appreciate the culture.

To me, touching the stage was always a nice way to end the performance. It brought closure and was the final tie-in to the culture behind what we were doing. Moreover, we saluted the audience as a way to thank them for being there and supporting us.

I never liked it when I saw some teams perform and then get off the stage by yelling out random stuff and jumping around; you can save that for off the stage.

My team never planned or schemed to touch the stage as a way to earn brownie points. I'm sure the first few times it felt planned because people weren't used to doing it, but after several performances (at least for me) it became a more personal thing in which I was just expressing my gratitude for the joy I, and I'm sure all of you, inevitably feel after a good performance.

 

[Pooja]

Re: Every Bhanga Dancer's Mission

See that's the thing though, I don't think people understand why they are touching the stage....it has nothing to do with being Punjabi/Sikhism/Bhangra any of that...

In every dance form, whether it be Bhangra/Raas Garba/Filmy/Classical anything it's a form of respect...it's not necessarily akin to bhangra at all...

And I don't think it's rude if you don't do it either, because then it holds no meaning for you if you are just doing it because others are doing it....

Okay, I'm blabbing but yea I just think people are misinformed about where this idea came from and what it means...

 

[Ashqe]

Re: Every Bhanga Dancer's Mission

See that's the thing though, I don't think people understand why they are touching the stage....it has nothing to do with being Punjabi/Sikhism/Bhangra any of that...

At least for me, if I saw someone touch the stage, although I might not know exactly what the significance of it is, I would still touch the floor because even without prior knowledge, if I see a lot of my teammates doing it I would do it out of respect because by emulating their action, I would be respecting Bhangra and the stage for letting me perform.

I know the way I worded it sounds a little awkward, but it's the same as if you were in a foreign country and you see your local friend bow to another person, you would probably bow too because you would at least think that it would be a respect type of thing. By at least doing this, you could ask your friend later what the significance is and then you learn that doing such a thing as touching the stage is more out of respect for being able to dance on stage.