INDIAN POP MUSIC

Bhangra –

Originally from the Punjab region of north India and Pakistan, bhangra has been defined as a tightly choreographed men’s group dance; bhangra has become a popular competitive dance in the Asian diaspora, particularly in the U.S and Great Britain.

The sound is modern and urban, but the texts shed light on conflicting currents of tradition and innovation within South Asian communities. It has become a traditional part of wedding celebrations.

Bhangra has its historical roots in South Asian Punjabi harvest festivals. But it now adds synthesizers, drum kits, and electronic manipulations. A strong rhythmic pulse and quadruple meter are emphasized by the percussion and accents in the vocals.

--Drums include double-headed Indian drum (dhol)

Bhangra is technologically enhanced music ranging from reggae to techno to rap. “Bhangramuffin” is an amalgam of bhangra, reggae, hip-hop, and Anglo-American pop.

In the 1960’s bhangra allowed youths to affirm their identities in a positive way in an exclusionary British environment—By the 1990’s different bhangra styles emerged-- including “bhangra beat,” rock bhangra and house bhangra.

It began to cross over into the mainstream. Heavy impact of artist called Apache Indian. Also artist named Bally Sagoo.

Now on many college campuses. Formerly all-male groups; now gender segregation into male and female teams perform bhangra and giddha repectively. Bhangra clubs have dance competitions for scholarships and to promote unity.

The dance movements are carefully choreographed to the recorded bhangra music, but do not interpret the song content (4-12 dancers arranged in circles or pairs with pronounced leg and shoulder movements on beats l and 3, occasionally waving the arms high overhead, pointing first finger upward). They wear traditional clothes. The dances are a configuration of what the culture considers to be “proper” relationships between men and women; each idealizes or even caricatures those social relationships; each also reaffirms or asserts community.

INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCE

Kathak – a form of Classical North Indian dance at first preserved by Brahmin men. Intricate interrelationships between the dancer and drummer. Upward leaps and vigorous spins.

Mudras – symbolic hand, finger and eye expressions of the dancer

Introduction to Central/North Asia & Tuvan music * Introduction to Japanese Music *India/South Asia *Japanese Theatre * Indian pop & classical Dance * Indonesia: Java & Bali

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