Benefits of Bhangra

At this link Bhangra Rhythms Are the Newest Sweaty Aerobics Rage - NAM
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/health-and-nutrition/23738-benefits-of-bhangra.html


The revival of bhangra may not seem all that surprising given the growing population of South Asians in the United States (over 2 million according to the 2000 census). They have brought along with them their food, culture, and language. Besides, this does seem to be the time for Indian payback for centuries of Western influence; chai and curry, yoga and nirvana, call centers and software development, are all forms of India’s colonization of the Western world. Bhangra’s popularity, therefore, comes as no major shock. What is surprising, though, is its advent into the fitness world. From its earthy roots as a celebratory harvest dance, it is now being touted as an intense cardio workout and a viable alternative to aerobics.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=23738

More to come...

 
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Bhangra Fitness: The Workout that Jives



Think India, and at once, a myriad of images comes to mind – its intricate history and cultural diversity; the pageantry of Bollywood; variety of spices; upbeat music; customer call centers and advanced information technology. All these dance their way to our collective memory. Now, add to these, the lively Bhangra dancing that is the trademark of Indian films has emerged as the newest fitness craze. The Bhangra aerobic dance has seeped into mainstream pop culture and has become the rage in recent years.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=23738

Bhangra, actually, is a euphoric harvest dance from Punjab, India. It is ordinarily accompanied by energetic singing and drum beating. Originally, this dance is performed by farmers to celebrate an abundant harvest season. The dance movements imitate farming activities like sowing and reaping. In time, Bhangra has evolved and fused with other kinds of music and dance such as hip hop, disco, reggae and techno. Since then, Bhangra has been dominating the club scene internationally. Next, comes its advent into the fitness world via the Bhangra aerobic dance.

The traditional Bhangra dance with its stomping feet, shoulder-shrugging, hand-clapping, swinging arms all the while bouncing dance steps has been modernized. Aerobic moves, hip hop and salsa have been incorporated to the dance accompanied by modern Bhangra music and throbbing drum beats. This is the much talked about Bhangra workout. It has enjoyed a surge in popularity because it is easy to do and fun at the same time. It has also provided a new dimension to the fitness industry because of its positive results.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=23738

The Bhangra aerobic dance involves continuous, rhythmic body movements designed to raise heart rate, strengthen the lungs and work out all the major muscle groups in the body like the legs and buttocks. This workout is done to music with pulsating beat to set the tempo. When one does the Bhangra workout, the body muscles demand more oxygen-rich blood and give off more carbon dioxide and other wastes. This makes the heart beat faster to keep up. Overtime, with regular workout, the heart grows stronger and can meet the muscles’ demands with little effort. The Bhangra workout also helps one avoid chronic diseases such as heart
disease, hypertension, and stroke. It also lowers blood pressure, builds strong bones and helps control weight. A 45-minute Bhangra aerobic dance burns 500 calories. How’s that for motivation?

In a nutshell, the physiological benefits derived from a Bhangra workout include improved overall cardiovascular functions, renewed physical stamina, increased lung power, enhanced muscle tone and flexibility, and weight loss. Psychologically, the Bhangra aerobic dance works like a stress and tension buster. It improves one’s attitude and increase personal confidence. If group activities appeal to you, join the Bhangra workout. It fosters group camaraderie and builds new friendships.

What makes the Bhangra workout ideal is that it is a mild aerobic exercise sans the boring part – rigid rules and routines. It is a fun and pleasurable social affair. The workout takes place with an infectious and upbeat music and everyone is in a happy mood. It is like having the best of both worlds – healthy and happy.

Now that you’re enthused, stand up and get moving – do the Bhangra workout. Dance to your heart’s delight!

A word of caution: Get a medical check-up before embarking on the Bhangra workout or any fitness regimen, for that matter.


Sustainable Living Articles @ Sustainable Living Articles

Bhangra's Past, present and future is discussed. Becoming very popular in the Americas, bhangra is now a popular co-curricular activity at many North American college and university campuses. Banghra teams compete far and wide. Read more about the Vancouver competition and the historical roots of bhangra.

Bend It To Bhangra

By Craig Takeuchi
A New Vancouver Competition Brings The Ancient Punjabi Dance Form To The Next Generation

It's a drizzly October night, and Vancouver International Bhangra Competition executives are entertaining 300 dinner guests at a Surrey banquet hall. They're enlisting support for their ambition to vault bhangra--a centuries-old Punjabi folk dance and music enjoying a modern revival--into the local mainstream. Unlike previous events that were geared toward the South Asian*Canadian community, the nonprofit, volunteer-run VIBC is seeking international participants and multicultural audiences in the hope of establishing an annual event on par with the Vancouver International Jazz Festival and the Dragon Boat Festival. (Similar showdowns already exist in U.S. cities like Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C.) As a fortuitous sign, the flashy live performances and infectious beats have everyone on the dance floor before evening's end.


The persuasion has paid off. The competition, set for next Saturday (January 22) at the Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts (see Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration | Kicking it old school since 1401), has secured numerous sponsors, including The Beat 94.5 FM and Channel M, with a first prize of $5,000. Twenty-five applications from across North America were whittled down to 10 qualifying teams based on criteria such as style, technical performance, and traditional elements. "It's probably the most difficult thing we've had to do as an executive," VIBC public-relations chair Sukhi Ghuman says of the selection process.
Attracting a mainstream audience is the next hurdle. "We're hoping to build awareness of bhangra so in Vancouver it thrives throughout, so it's not just limited to South Asians," Ghuman explains by phone. Working with Tourism Vancouver, VIBC also hopes to raise the city's profile: "We want to make this a milestone for Vancouver, to show that we are a very diverse, multicultural community yet able to work together, promote our cultures, educate our neighbours, and share it with them."

Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=23738

Although its beats and moves are accessible to generations reared on music videos and aerobics, bhangra also has a long history that originates in the Punjab--a region of northern India and northeast Pakistan--around the 1400s (although the form may date back to 300 BC). Farmers performed it while working in the fields, and it became a part of the harvest festival Vaisakhi and other celebrations. The basic 4/4 beat (keerva) is kept by the dhol, a large barrel-shaped drum suspended by a strap around the player's neck. The movements--from hand-clapping and wrist-twisting to kicking and shoulder-shrugging--are energetic, expressive, and often illustrative of the lyrics, which are about everything from daily life to love to heroes and heroines.


When the departing British Empire divided the Punjab between India and Pakistan in 1947, a Sikh exodus ensued, and émigrés took traditions like bhangra with them. In the British club scene of the late '80s, DJs fused bhangra beats with electronic genres (house, techno, trance, drum 'n' bass), fostering the Asian underground scene and influencing pop artists from Björk to Bananarama. International bhangra stars such as the U.K.'s Bally Sagoo and Apache Indian and Surrey's Jazzy Bains found fame among diaspora and motherland audiences. In '90s North America, bhangra blended with hip-hop, R & B, and reggae, and was even sampled in songs by Missy Elliott, Dr. Dre, and Britney Spears.


Ghuman, an ex-president of the UBC Bhangra Club, explains that bhangra also took root on college campuses. Ethnic clubs put on cultural shows that grew into competitions held during the academic year. In fact, some of the continent's top teams hail from the Lower Mainland, such as the UBC Girlz Bhangra who, along with the SFU Elite Bhangra Team, made the final VIBC cut. Yet while live music and singers accompany traditional bhangra performances, with an emphasis on authentic movements, North American teams, dancing to recorded mixes, often integrate moves from hip-hop, cheerleading, and gymnastics, including pyramids, rolls, and throws.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=23738
In reaction to these fusion styles, on-line message boards often feature debates about what bhangra is. Ghuman, however, recognizes the benefits of modern elements: "It's giving the younger generation who may not have known about bhangra that extra incentive to learn more about it. It's also giving teams who have the background, have been dancing for 30 or 40 years, and come from the state of Punjab the opportunity to educate the younger generation." Although many cultural art forms are facing extinction, the resurgence of bhangra--while both absorbing and exerting influences--is clearly a model example of a tradition adapting to our modern world.


Consequently, Ghuman hopes the VIBC will educate not only those outside the South Asian community but also members within the community, some of whom may not even speak the language: "A lot of dancers don't really know the specific terms for some moves, the different styles, or where they came from. We're trying to give them that information and let them leave Vancouver learning something that they can take back with them."


Source of this article
Bend It To Bhangra | Straight.com

The 2009 Vancouver Bhangra Competition - City of Bhangra 2009 Festival- will take place February 21, 2009.

Read about international bands, teams, and related festival festivities at this link. Soho Road to Vancouver





For the first time ever, legendary Bhangra UK bands Apna Sangeet and Heera will perform live with H-Dhami at the Coast Capital Bhangra Competition on February 21, 2009. The competition is part of the City of Bhangra 2009 Festival presented by Rogers Wireless and will feature eight of North America’s elite bhangra teams competing for a grand prize of $5000 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver.

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