Bhangra

What is Bhangra?•Bhangra is a form of music and dance that originated in the Punjab region of India.

Where did it begin?

• Bhangra began as a dance that Punjabi farmers did to celebrate the coming of Vaisakhi, a Sikh festival, like the Harvest Festival.

• It started off in the states of Punjab and Assam. Now it is a really popular dance form featured in Bollywood movies and dance competitions all over the world.

What does the dance look like?

• The moves are inspired by the specific moves that the farmers used when farming their land.

• They are high energy dance moves and sequences with dancers in colourful clothing.

What does the music sound like?

• Traditionally, the music was a mixture of singing, the beat of a ‘Dhol Drum’ and the sounds of a 1 string instrument called the ‘Ektara’. Dhol Drum Ektara

Old and new.

• The traditional music sounds a bit like folk music.

• It then evolved to sound like a mixture of classical rock music and Punjabi classical music.

• Modern day Bhangra has become influenced by R and B and Hip Hop.

What are the lyrics about?

• The lyrics cover a range of social issues; love, marraige, money, dancing, heartbreak...

What is the traditional costume / dress?

• Traditionally, men wore a ‘Chadra’; a long piece of cloth wrapped around the waist, a ‘kurta’; long indian style shirt, and a ‘pugerdee’ to cover their heads.

What do the women wear?

• Traditionally, women wear a dress called a ‘Ghagra’ and a ‘Dupatta’; a colourful cloth wrapped around the neck.

Where might I have heard it?....

• If you have ever seen a Bollywood film...• If you have ever listened to the Asian Dub

Foundation.• In music by Missy Elliot.• It has influenced a lot of the music and dance

styles in the charts today..............