Hans
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It's the ultimate question, and it's dominated the bhangra scene for the past 2-3 years. The beginning of the mass movement towards "traditional" bhangra seems to have begun with TBT. Sure, there were teams like Gabroo Shokeen and SIAC that existed before TBT, and their routines were much closer to something you might see in India, but TBT really seemed to be the team that first got people thinking about "traditionality" with their all-live performance.
There was a period of about a year when it seemed like you just couldn't place at a competition without having a 1-2 minute live segment because it was "traditional." The live music craze seems to have died down now, and the "traditional" movement has shifted towards a focus on, for lack of a better word, more "desi" song selection, multi-colored costumes, choreography that is closer to what you might see in India, and incorporating all the different styles of bhangra in one routine (like mirza, dhamaal, phumania, etc.).
On that other bhangra message board, teams that for whatever reason choose not to follow these trends are often met with hostility and harsh criticism. I considered sparking this discussion over on POL, but it's really not a place that's conducive to reasoned, intelligent discussion, so I'd like to hear from you guys: the team captains, dancers, and anyone else who has been actively involved in the bhangra scene these past few years (so Sulman, too).
My question is, what exactly do we mean when we talk of "traditionality," and to what extent is it even important to attempt to define it when we speak of bhangra in North America? Teams like VCU, SGPD, and Nachdi Jawani, for example, are great teams. They consistently put on clean, energetic performances, and they've each established a style of their own. Is it really accurate to call these teams "traditional," though? Sure, they definitely feel more traditional than a team like DRP, but teams in India don't dance to recorded music, especially not hip-hop remixes or Madonna songs (NJ at VIBC), they don't swing their dhangs around (I think), and they certainly don't have girls. What teams like this are really doing is taking traditional, Punjabi bhangra, and adapting a style of their own from it.
In the end, then, who are we to judge one team's interpretation of bhangra against another's, if they're both extremely solid in their own right? DRP, KJ, Sher, VCU, SGPD, and NJ do not dance bhangra the same way it is danced in Punjab, so none of these teams can be called strictly "traditional." Bhangra in North America is not the same as it is in Punjab. The dancers here come from different cultural backgrounds and they also have varying dance and musical influences. Why should we expect their creative expression to mirror that of dancers in Punjab? Isn't a bit restricting and narrow-minded that nearly every competition allots a minimum of 15-20 points for traditionality, especially when this term is so vague to begin with?
I could continue, but instead I'd rather hear your opinions, and I'll follow up with my other ideas when they become relevant. I really hope we can build a healthy and productive debate out of this.
-Hans
There was a period of about a year when it seemed like you just couldn't place at a competition without having a 1-2 minute live segment because it was "traditional." The live music craze seems to have died down now, and the "traditional" movement has shifted towards a focus on, for lack of a better word, more "desi" song selection, multi-colored costumes, choreography that is closer to what you might see in India, and incorporating all the different styles of bhangra in one routine (like mirza, dhamaal, phumania, etc.).
On that other bhangra message board, teams that for whatever reason choose not to follow these trends are often met with hostility and harsh criticism. I considered sparking this discussion over on POL, but it's really not a place that's conducive to reasoned, intelligent discussion, so I'd like to hear from you guys: the team captains, dancers, and anyone else who has been actively involved in the bhangra scene these past few years (so Sulman, too).
My question is, what exactly do we mean when we talk of "traditionality," and to what extent is it even important to attempt to define it when we speak of bhangra in North America? Teams like VCU, SGPD, and Nachdi Jawani, for example, are great teams. They consistently put on clean, energetic performances, and they've each established a style of their own. Is it really accurate to call these teams "traditional," though? Sure, they definitely feel more traditional than a team like DRP, but teams in India don't dance to recorded music, especially not hip-hop remixes or Madonna songs (NJ at VIBC), they don't swing their dhangs around (I think), and they certainly don't have girls. What teams like this are really doing is taking traditional, Punjabi bhangra, and adapting a style of their own from it.
In the end, then, who are we to judge one team's interpretation of bhangra against another's, if they're both extremely solid in their own right? DRP, KJ, Sher, VCU, SGPD, and NJ do not dance bhangra the same way it is danced in Punjab, so none of these teams can be called strictly "traditional." Bhangra in North America is not the same as it is in Punjab. The dancers here come from different cultural backgrounds and they also have varying dance and musical influences. Why should we expect their creative expression to mirror that of dancers in Punjab? Isn't a bit restricting and narrow-minded that nearly every competition allots a minimum of 15-20 points for traditionality, especially when this term is so vague to begin with?
I could continue, but instead I'd rather hear your opinions, and I'll follow up with my other ideas when they become relevant. I really hope we can build a healthy and productive debate out of this.
-Hans