How to Do Bhangra

Bhangra is a type of music and dance that originated in the Punjab region of South Asia. The dance was originally a folk dance that celebrated farming and the harvest season. Bhangra music and dance has developed in western cultures as the Punjab Sikh's have migrated to these regions. Men wear traditional chaadra and curta clothing while performing the dance while women wear a dress known as a salwar kameez. The dance has branched out into many different styles in the past 20 years, including Jumar, Giddha and Daankara.

Instructions

1. Watch a person do bhangra in order to fully learn the dance. Take a bhangra dance lesson or class if they are available in your area. Learn from a friend if they know how to do the dance.

2. Watch videos of bhangra dancing on the Internet on YouTube and sites such as Bhangra.org. There are a mixture of traditional bhangra styles along with more contemporary and modern versions of the dance. Watch videos of bhanga musicians playing the dhol drum. The dhol drum is the traditional drum used in bhanga music and dance. This will give you a more complete idea of the history of the music style. View a live bhanga dance concert if one happens in your area.

3. Learn a bhangra step by standing with your feet close together and your hands on your hips. Jump up and down on your right foot with your left foot lifted into the air. Angle your left knee and your body to the left. Put your left foot back on the ground and do the same thing with your right leg in the air. Bounce on each foot two times before switching back to the other leg.

4. Add your arms to the dance by waving them up in the air while lifting your legs. Alternate moving your arms straight up in the air with moving them out to the sides.

5. Add another move to the dance by hopping on one foot while bending and lifting the other foot to the side. Do a double toe touch and change feet. For each two touches, clap the hands in front. Do two more toe touches and raise the arms above the head and circle the hands.

6. Add another move by hopping on one foot. Lift the other leg with a bent knee in front. While hopping do a double toe tap. Change feet. The arms are low and in front with the hands moving in a circular motion for two hops. Lift the arms above the head and pump them as the shoulders move up and down with the arms. Do this for two hop movements.

7. Alternate these three dance steps and you will be doing a short version of the bhangra. Keep your movements energetic as the bhangra is a lively dance.

References

• Bhangra.org: Bhangra History
• Baisakhi: Baisakhi Dress
• American Bhangra: History of the American Bhangra