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Crosscurrents

Bringing bhangra to the Bay

"TEDx SF 2011 Alive - Vicki Virk with Non Stop Bhangra ©Suzie Katz #4836" by CC Flickr user Tedx SF, resized and recropped

 

By now many Westerners have been exposed to Bollywood, the lively cinematic musical soap-operas iconic to the movie industry in Mumbai. Today Bollywood films are regular shown in cinemas around the Bay. Some people though have gone beyond the screen to experience first-hand the infectious music and dance that inspire some of the famous scenes from Bollywood films.

With the help of the San Francisco-basedDholrhythms dance company and the monthly dance party Non-Stop Bhangra, the Punjabi art of bhangra is gaining exposure in San Francisco's Mission District.

"It’s not one of those things where you need to have a specific venue or a place to go do it. It’s part of family life, it’s part of family celebrations, it’s done when there’s a wedding, it’s done when there’s a birthday party. Punjabi families, you put on this music and it doesn’t matter what kind of an occasion it is, you dance to this music because this is what we grew up with."

This story originally aired in 2012.

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Crosscurrents San Francisco