Bhangra (dance)

Bhangra has its origins from the historical Sialkot District which is considered to have its purest or standard version as well as neighboring districts of Gurdaspur, Gujranwala, Gujrat, and Shekhupura of the Majha. The community form of traditional bhangra has been maintained in Gurdaspur, where farmers performed bhangra to showcase a sense of accomplishment and to welcome the new harvesting season in pre-partition times, and is performed using traditional dance steps. Traditional bhangra is now also performed on occasions other than during the harvest season. According to Ganhar (1975), bhangra has been imported into Jammu which is danced on Baisakhi. Other Punjabi folk dances such as giddhā and luḍḍī have also been imported into Jammu, which shares Punjabi influences and an affinity with Punjab. ==Development==

The 1950s saw the development of traditional bhangra in Punjab, which was patronized by the Maharaja of Patiala, who requested a staged performance of bhangra in 1953. The first significant developers of this style were a dance troupe led by brothers from the Deepak family of Sunam (Manohar, Avtar and Gurbachan) and dhol player Bhana Ram Sunami. Free form traditional bhangra developed during stage performances which incorporate traditional bhangra moves and also include sequences from other Punjabi dances, namely, Luddi, Jhummar, Dhamaal, and Gham Luddi. The singing of Punjabi folk songs, boliyan, are incorporated from Malwai Giddha. Bhangra competitions have been held in Punjab, India, for many decades, with Mohindra College in Patiala being involved in the 1950s. ==Perceptions==

Though it has been referred to as a "Jat art," it may have had less specific origins, instead originally being a geographic West Punjabi regionalism. Men from Eastern Punjabi originally viewed dancing as effeminate ; an activity limited to women's dance like the Giddha, or specialized male dancers (ਨਚਾਰ nachāră) who were not considered respectable. After Partition, the dance was popularized by migrants from West Punjab through culture shows and college campuses, as attitudes began to change. As a result, the dance began to thrive in East Punjab, while being suppressed in Western Punjab. Bhangra connects to a much deeper set of masculine values. Most of these values are set through labour, industry and self-sufficiency in agriculture, loyalty, independence and bravery in personal, political and military endeavours; and the development and expression of virility, vigour, and honour are common themes. Bhangra referred both to formal male performances and to communal dancing among men and women. Traditionally, bhangra is danced by men but now we see both men and women participating in this dance form. With bhangra competitions all over the world, we see all sorts of people competing in these events. == Women in bhangra ==

Nowadays, while bhangra was "traditionally not for women at all," many second-generation diaspora Punjabi women have connected with their culture through bhangra, though at the expense of the traditional women's giddha, which has more of an emphasis on softer movements, acting, and storytelling. Bhangra is often adapted to suit women in this circumstance, in choices of moves, costumes, and props. This was concurrent with the rise in popularity of bhangra music abroad in the 1970s and 1980s, mixing with Western music genres. Women partaking in bhangra, seen as a powerful dance, is often motivated by modern notions of equality, often clashing with standards of authenticity and tradition. Raaniyan Di Raunaq is India's first all-women's bhangra competition. Even with the abundance of female bhangra performers, many see this dance form as only masculine. Many women that compete in bhangra shows are judged according to a criterion that is made for male performers. Raaniyan Di Raunaq has customized a bhangra competition just for women or for those who identify as transgender or nonbinary. This competition has coveted a safe space for women to have the ability to compete and be judged equally. == Innovations and adaptations ==

In recent years, bhangra has also been performed in innovative styles, including a variant termed “Bhangra on Skates”, in which traditional bhangra steps are executed while skating. This form has been showcased in Chandigarh, India, through performances by freestyle skater Janvi Jindal.. == Gallery ==

File:North American Live Bhangra Team.jpg|North American live bhangra team Johr Jawani Da File:Punjabi Pengra Drummer.JPG|Punjabi bhangra drummer (Jhelum, Pakistan) File:Punjabi Folk dance Gaidda Boliya and Bhangara 37.jpg|Bhangra File:Bangda dance.jpg|A group of students performing bhangra (dance) (India) File:Bhangra punjab.jpg|Bhangra dancers ==See also==