UB's Bhangra Club brought home the gold at last year's "Muqabala," and if the club's hard work pays off, they might have the same results this year.
"I think we're coming out with a dance that we've worked really hard on, we have new choreographers who put their own spin on the moves," said Rena Malik, president of Bhangra Club. "We've learned a lot since last year and we're still learning a lot because we're still a relatively new team."
Coming first in "Muqabala" is certainly something worth celebrating. The event, organized by UB's Indian Student Association, features the best Indian performance groups from schools in New York and, now, other states.
"It's one of the biggest events on campus for people of Indian descent," said Malik.
This year's 'Muqabala" will be held in the Center for the Arts Mainstage Theater Friday at 5 p.m. The event costs $8.
According to Akruti Shastri, president of the Indian Student Association, Indian performance groups from SUNY Albany, SUNY Binghamton, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne, will go up against each other and UB at this year's "Muqabala."
"All the schools bring their best performances and bring their own audiences," said Shastri. "It's a mix of people from all these different places giving the best they can and there's so much energy from the crowd."
The word muqabala is the Hindi representation of competition. "When the teams come they work really hard for it," said Malik. "No one goes on stage looking bad."
Shastri said this year's audience can look forward to an all-girl's a cappella performance, traditional Bhangra performances as well as traditional and modern Indian dances.
After the show, participants - and audience members, who are invited - will make their way to the Marriot's Grand Ballroom for the semi-formal. The ISA has invited D.J. Wreck from New York City to be the emcee for the after event. Tickets for the semi-formal, which starts at 10:30 p.m., are on sale for $12.
According to Shastri, "Muqabala" has much to offer its non-Indian spectators.
"They will get a sense of Indian culture and they will learn a lot about Indian dancing and Indian song and a lot of Indian costume and jewelry," she said. "They will find out what Indian culture is all about."
