Bhangra dancing videos and lessons

Bhangra, a lively mix of deep musical drumbeats with strong, athletic movements, is an Indian dance and music form that originates from Punjab, which encompasses Northern India and Northeastern Pakistan. The dance form may date back as early as 300 BC when farmers performed it to welcome the Spring and “Bhang” harvest. Although this ancient history is not certain, the form is surely quite old, as there is evidence that Punjabi wheat farmers used Bhangra as a harvest festivity as early as the 13th century.

“Bhangra” is a general term used to describe several types of dance and music performed at various occasions in Punjabi culture. For example, Ihumar is a type of Bhangra characterized by graceful movements performed in a circle around a drum player. Dancers perform the Luddi, another Bhangra form, by placing one hand behind the head and the other in front of the face, moving like a snake around a drummer. The forms of Bhangra types are many, with the choreography mirroring the cultural lesson or tale told—from family arguments to politics—and the movements syncopating with the rhythm of the drums and handclaps of the dancers.

Not all Bhangra dances are smooth and graceful like the Ihumar and Luddi. Daankara is a popular dance of celebration usually performed at weddings performed by two men encircling each other while tapping sticks to drumbeats. With their arms high, shoulders shaking, and voices shouting, dancers also encircle each other during the Dhamal, a dance that symbolizes the harvest festivities of traditional Bhangra. There are many more Bhangra genres, most notably Saami, Daankara, Kikli, and Gatka, most of which are high-energy dances, and often involve acrobatic stunts such as human pyramids.

No longer a dance only performed in Punjab, Bhangra is now a popular dance form around the world, finding its way into pop and hip-hop performances, films, and dance competitions. After India and Pakistan attained independence from British rule in 1947, many Indians migrated to the United Kingdom, bringing with them their lively, sensuous Bhangra dancing. Today, Bhangra is often seen in the western entertainment industry fused with other genres, such as hip-hop, reggae, and house music and dance.