Elite 8 Bhangra- an invitational
College bhangra competitions used to be rare. Now, every region is home to multiple competitions.
It’s great to see bhangra, as an artform, thriving. Though as a competition, it sometimes feels as though the art is lost amongst the flips and pyramids. However, the last few years have seen a movement going back to the basics of the traditional art form, which has been wonderful to see.
In the crowd of competitions, it is natural to try to distinguish oneself. This year, DC will play host to an invitational bhangra competition called the “Elite 8.” It won’t change bhangra competitions, but it may heighten the profiles of the teams who were invited.
Check out more info for the competition and teams competing, here.
43 Responses to “Elite 8 Bhangra- an invitational”
As the website is called 'The Langar Hall', hence 'TLG' should only be discussing things that would be dicussed in a Gurdwara Langar Hall. In a Gurdwara Langar ways to tackle alcohol abuse would be discussed but it would be unacceptable to promote Alcohol use.
While i accept Bhangra is a Punjabi custom and in the past Bhangra was very clean and possibly acceptable in the past. However this in no longer the case, all one needs to do is to the vulgar content of the songs that will be played at these Bhangra competitions. Bhangra promotion while for some "may" have been acceptable talk in a Gurdwara Langar Hall, it however no longer is. So promotion of Bhangra event at 'TLG' should not be acceptable either!
We really need to stop bending the rules to please Punjabi's, whether they're Sikh or not!
As the website is called 'The Langar Hall', hence 'TLG' should only be discussing things that would be dicussed in a Gurdwara Langar Hall. In a Gurdwara Langar ways to tackle alcohol abuse would be discussed but it would be unacceptable to promote Alcohol use.
While i accept Bhangra is a Punjabi custom and in the past Bhangra was very clean and possibly acceptable in the past. However this in no longer the case, all one needs to do is to the vulgar content of the songs that will be played at these Bhangra competitions. Bhangra promotion while for some "may" have been acceptable talk in a Gurdwara Langar Hall, it however no longer is. So promotion of Bhangra event at 'TLG' should not be acceptable either!
We really need to stop bending the rules to please Punjabi's, whether they're Sikh or not!
Im sorry but Karan veer ji, I have to disagree.
As a participant of Elite 8 and many other competitions, we as bhangra dancers, are well aware of lyrical content and 90% of us don't dance to vulgar music at a competition level. Especially because most judges are older, traditional, understand the language and are offended to hear vulgar music on the stage, secondly a bhangra routine has different segments which have matching songs, vulgar lyrics just dont fit. Not to mention, most vulgar lyrical content and music, really isnt made to dance to, its something you listen to in the car, barely represented on a public stage.
I really do hope, you get out more and go to these bhangra competitions. You would be surprised to see who attends and competes and what kind of music is danced to. Might even find a few of us Langar Hall folk competiting
Im sorry but Karan veer ji, I have to disagree.
As a participant of Elite 8 and many other competitions, we as bhangra dancers, are well aware of lyrical content and 90% of us don't dance to vulgar music at a competition level. Especially because most judges are older, traditional, understand the language and are offended to hear vulgar music on the stage, secondly a bhangra routine has different segments which have matching songs, vulgar lyrics just dont fit. Not to mention, most vulgar lyrical content and music, really isnt made to dance to, its something you listen to in the car, barely represented on a public stage.
I really do hope, you get out more and go to these bhangra competitions. You would be surprised to see who attends and competes and what kind of music is danced to. Might even find a few of us Langar Hall folk competiting
Karan Singh & Kaur,
Interesting points. I've always felt this blog highlights what currently isn't being discussed in Gurdwara Langar halls, but maybe should be. I'm having difficulty seeing the relevance of this post or how it adds to TLH outside of event promotion for "Elite 8".
Karan Singh & Kaur,
Interesting points. I've always felt this blog highlights what currently isn't being discussed in Gurdwara Langar halls, but maybe should be. I'm having difficulty seeing the relevance of this post or how it adds to TLH outside of event promotion for "Elite 8".
@KaranSingh
"'TLG' should only be discussing things that would be dicussed in a Gurdwara Langar Hall"
Really? Lets start gossiping about how nice the langar is, how Jagtar's daughter is dressed like she's at a wedding, and hot fat Jassi looks these days.
Get over yourself.
@Balmeet
Noted. What the post doesn't say explicitly is that this is the most anticipated bhangra competition in the 17 years that North American bhangra competitions have been happening. And like it or not, at roughly 75% of the bhangra circuit consists of Sikh youth. Or if you're part of the more monolithic, 75% 'come from Sikh families.'
@KaranSingh
"'TLG' should only be discussing things that would be dicussed in a Gurdwara Langar Hall"
Really? Lets start gossiping about how nice the langar is, how Jagtar's daughter is dressed like she's at a wedding, and hot fat Jassi looks these days.
Get over yourself.
@Balmeet
Noted. What the post doesn't say explicitly is that this is the most anticipated bhangra competition in the 17 years that North American bhangra competitions have been happening. And like it or not, at roughly 75% of the bhangra circuit consists of Sikh youth. Or if you're part of the more monolithic, 75% 'come from Sikh families.'
If you are going to post things about Bhangra, please post things about traditional African, Chinese, European, South American, Pakistani, Australian, Canadian, etc. dances all around the world too.
Sikhs are not exclusively Punjabi and Punjabi dances are not relevant exclusively to a Sikh audience. You are stereotyping Sikhs.
If you are going to post things about Bhangra, please post things about traditional African, Chinese, European, South American, Pakistani, Australian, Canadian, etc. dances all around the world too.
Sikhs are not exclusively Punjabi and Punjabi dances are not relevant exclusively to a Sikh audience. You are stereotyping Sikhs.
Bhangra is a link to punjabi culture and also therefore a link to Sikhi.
If people want to study Sikhi I believe they'd find a spiritual practice that is absolutely profound. People study buddhism without much concern about the birthplace of Buddha, and the same could happen vis a vis Sikhi.
I think Partition is part of the reason Punjabi culture and Sikhi have become joined culture, related to the strong desire for preservation and regeneration.
That said, a person's religious life is lived in a context, and for many people that context includes punjabi culture, it's the field of action in which one might live, and knowing about punjabi culture can also help clarify some of the references in the Guru Granth Sahib
Bhangra is a link to punjabi culture and also therefore a link to Sikhi.
If people want to study Sikhi I believe they'd find a spiritual practice that is absolutely profound. People study buddhism without much concern about the birthplace of Buddha, and the same could happen vis a vis Sikhi.
I think Partition is part of the reason Punjabi culture and Sikhi have become joined culture, related to the strong desire for preservation and regeneration.
That said, a person's religious life is lived in a context, and for many people that context includes punjabi culture, it's the field of action in which one might live, and knowing about punjabi culture can also help clarify some of the references in the Guru Granth Sahib
How is this bhangra competition any different that anything put out by others? Many competitions bill themselves to be showcasing the best of the best… What makes this one revolutionary?
How is this bhangra competition any different that anything put out by others? Many competitions bill themselves to be showcasing the best of the best… What makes this one revolutionary?
Punjabi Assaassin, I was thinking the same thing…
Punjabi Assaassin, I was thinking the same thing…
This competition is the first invite-only bhangra competition that has happened before, and has secured 8 of the most dominant teams in the bhangra circuit today. Some competitions say they're bringing the best, and this competition is doing it.
This competition is the first invite-only bhangra competition that has happened before, and has secured 8 of the most dominant teams in the bhangra circuit today. Some competitions say they're bringing the best, and this competition is doing it.
Hi kaur,
Let me go through your points one at a time… but first let me ask you, are you involved with the organization putting it on?
1. I don't think the first part excludes the second part of your statement. I see that two teams from each coast are competing, its not very clear how many were invited that turned down the competition. But I'll assume that everyone who was invited accepted.
2. Glad to hear they are all competition winners! It doesn't say that anywhere in the post or on their website that I saw. Also, this doesn't make this competition very different from many of the major ones that proport to do the same thing. Major "national" competitions all brought competition winners, I don't see this as being any different, and if the difference is that they didn't have people apply to join, but hand picked some teams, I don't think that changes anything. If this had been done by application, it follows that the committee selecting the teams would have picked these teams since they are the best!
3. That's an interesting judging format, reminds me of figure skating, lol! Do you think other judges are biased?? From the competitions I've been to, the judges don't have any relationship with the teams, in this case, at least one judge is biased since he is team captain!
4. Do you think that these teams were invited because of the Elite 8 competition? Was Bhangra Empire invited to the State Dinner at the White House because they are really good, or because of Elite 8? That claim becomes more difficult to believe when you consider the Canadian Parliament. Do you really believe the people who sent out the invitation to the Canadian team looked to see who was competing if this new competition called Elite 8? It may be true, but its jus a lil hard to believe. If it is true, that's wonderful news!
I agree with your bottom line, but this post just seemed like advertising. Didn't seem to fit with the other posts i read everyday.
Hi kaur,
Let me go through your points one at a time… but first let me ask you, are you involved with the organization putting it on?
1. I don't think the first part excludes the second part of your statement. I see that two teams from each coast are competing, its not very clear how many were invited that turned down the competition. But I'll assume that everyone who was invited accepted.
2. Glad to hear they are all competition winners! It doesn't say that anywhere in the post or on their website that I saw. Also, this doesn't make this competition very different from many of the major ones that proport to do the same thing. Major "national" competitions all brought competition winners, I don't see this as being any different, and if the difference is that they didn't have people apply to join, but hand picked some teams, I don't think that changes anything. If this had been done by application, it follows that the committee selecting the teams would have picked these teams since they are the best!
3. That's an interesting judging format, reminds me of figure skating, lol! Do you think other judges are biased?? From the competitions I've been to, the judges don't have any relationship with the teams, in this case, at least one judge is biased since he is team captain!
4. Do you think that these teams were invited because of the Elite 8 competition? Was Bhangra Empire invited to the State Dinner at the White House because they are really good, or because of Elite 8? That claim becomes more difficult to believe when you consider the Canadian Parliament. Do you really believe the people who sent out the invitation to the Canadian team looked to see who was competing if this new competition called Elite 8? It may be true, but its jus a lil hard to believe. If it is true, that's wonderful news!
I agree with your bottom line, but this post just seemed like advertising. Didn't seem to fit with the other posts i read everyday.
Elite 8 be better than this struggling artist –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyrnTkUOtN0
Elite 8 be better than this struggling artist –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyrnTkUOtN0
Nope, not organizing Elite 8. However I do belong to one of the teams invited from the West Coast.
Nope, not organizing Elite 8. However I do belong to one of the teams invited from the West Coast.
songs pk mp3
songs pk mp3
can some one tell name of the song at 6:20 in the below video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnqxJ8I3pqk
can some one tell name of the song at 6:20 in the below video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnqxJ8I3pqk