Clinks of bangles are heard amidst synchronized claps. The floor shakes as dancers leap into poses, painting the stage with vibrant clothing hues, enthusiasm leaping from the dancers eyes to the audience’s imagination.
Bhangra, with its upbeat dance moves and lively music, reflects the history of Punjabi folk music.
In the spirit of promoting cultural diversity, UB’s Athletics department is offering its first Bollywood/Bhangra dance class, giving students the opportunity to interactively embrace aspects of South Asian culture.
Bollywood/Bhangra, ATH 174, meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 2-2:50 p.m. The class is split into two sections for the semester and allows students to earn one academic credit per section.
Gaitrie Subryan, a UB alumna and instructor of the class, decided to offer this workshop after she noticed an increased interest from UB students in her private dance workshops.
“I took a class with Gaitrie last January and was going to enroll [in] her dance studio again if she didn’t offer this class here,” said Jessica Arora, a freshman engineering major.
Arora said she loved the intensity of Subyran’s classes, as well as the fun and catchy dance moves of Bhangra. She wanted to capitalize on the opportunity to take the class at UB and earn academic credit.
The class focuses on various Indian dance styles, like Bhangra and Garba, as well as modern dances to help students understand the art and history behind various dances.
Bhangra dance is performed in celebration of the harvest season and is popularized by the younger Punjabi generation. Garba, however, has a more spiritual aspect, and is usually performed during a nine-day Hindu festival.
Subyran hopes to educate students on the history of Indian dance while staying fit.
“I want to structure this class with three main goals,” Subryan said. “Emphasis on Indian heritage, focus on various footwork, hand gestures and face expressions and learn the culture behind Bollywood.”
Both Subryan and some students believe cultural events on campus helped students become aware of Indian dance culture. Subryan said she noticed an interest in Indian dance among students after each International Fiesta she attended at UB.
“I didn’t know anything about Indian dance and music until I went to International Fiesta last year,” said Katelyn Doan, a sophomore psychology major. Subryan and Doan both emphasized the importance of events promoting a deeper understanding of other cultures present at UB.
Some students, like Jason Jock, a third-year physics graduate student, feel like they don’t have a good insight into Indian culture.
Although Jock is surrounded by many international students and cultural events on campus, he believes Bollywood dance and music are ways for UB students to understand Indian culture.
“We have friends from India, we enjoy delicious Indian cuisine time to time and we are certainly familiar with India and its culture,” Jock said. “But still, [the knowledge is] superficial. I don’t think we have a good understanding of it.”
Besides gaining cultural insight, Subryan recommends students to learn Bhangra because it’s fun and doesn’t require much prior experience. Students taking the class also feel the same way.
“I have been dancing for 15 years and danced various styles like ballet, jazz, hip-hop and tap dance,” said Alyson Ruppenthal, a junior communication major. “I am taking [the] Bollywood class to experience something cool and learn about a new culture.”
Subryan and students agreed the music and energetic movements make the class an appealing workout opportunity for students to take their mind off of hectic class loads.
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