2. What is Bhangra? Bhangra is a form of music and dance that originated in the Punjab region of India.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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
6. 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.
7. What are the lyrics about? The lyrics cover a range of social issues; love, marraige, money, dancing, heartbreak...
8. 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.
9. What do the women wear? Traditionally, women wear a dress called a ‘Ghagra’ and a ‘Dupatta’; a colourful cloth wrapped around the neck.
10. 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..............
