‘Think of fireworks’: UNC Bhangra Elite hosts its annual showcase

One of UNC’s oldest Indian dance teams, UNC Bhangra Elite, invites students to dinner and a show on Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m.

Bhangra Sutra 2020, the team’s annual spring showcase, will feature Indian dance teams from across the Triangle, including neighboring teams Duke University and N.C. State. Part of the proceeds from this year’s showcase will go towards the India chapter of the non-profit, Save the Children.

For those who are unfamiliar with Bhangra, Arpita Das, a UNC sophomore and member of UNC Bhangra Elite, said it is best described as energetic. 

“There's a lot of jumping, and it's really exciting,” Das said. “And the music for this kind of dance is dependent on the drum beats, and the drum's called a dhol.” 

Bhangra is a folk dance that originates from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan, but the dance has since evolved. Ambica Ramchandra, a UNC freshman and member of UNC Bhangra Elite, said the group dances to a mix of traditional Indian music, Bollywood music and even rap. 

“It’s literally everything, think of fireworks, right,” Ramchandra said. “The surge of energy you get when you see fireworks, that excitement is everything mixed in together.” 

While Bhangra is known for its energy, Ramchandra said another key part of the dance is the joy that radiates from the performers. 

“It's very different from the other dance forms in the sense that you continue to smile throughout, but the level of energy that is required for this type dance is crazy,” Ramchandra said.

The event will also feature some of the other performing arts groups at UNC. Among them is UNC Kamikazi, the first urban co-ed dance team to form at UNC. 

Alexis Payton, a UNC senior and member of UNC Kamikazi, said the group is excited to connect with the Indian dance community. 

“I just hope that we forge a connection with this community that has been present on campus for a long time,” Payton said. “So, I just hope that we can learn from them, not just different ways to move, but just form new friendships and build a connection." 

Connection is in large part of why Ramchandra said being a member of UNC Bhangra Elite has been such an important part of her time at UNC. 

“As a first year, it’s been one of the most rewarding experiences I've had so far,” Ramchandra said. “Just to find a family, that shares the same amount of passion, love, energy and excitement for a dance form that really connects us to the roots and really encourages us to understand who we truly are at the core.” 

The love and passion that Ramchandra said she feels while dancing as a member of UNC Bhangra Elite is something she said she hopes people take away from the performance. 

“One thing I would want people to take back with them is that Bhangra, I think, is an all-inclusive dance form, but our goal is really to put a large smile on everyone's face, including the people dancing and even the people watching,” Ramchandra said. “Our primary goal is just to spread as much love as we can.”

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