The fun and vitality of Bhangra dance is being taken worldwide by Huddersfield teacher Hardeep Sahota, Emily Raleigh discovers how the genre is opening the eyes of Kirklees youngsters to other cultures.
Hardeep Sahota’s passion for Bhangra knows no bounds,
The art teacher and research fellow at the University of Huddersfield has spent the last 20 years celebrating, researching and preserving the art form of Bhangra.
Having published his highly acclaimed book, Bhangra: Mystics, Music and Migration over three years ago on how Huddersfield has playing a pivotal role in Bhangra’s heritage, Hardeep is becoming a leading expert on Bhangra and is fast becoming internationally renowned.
Through his community organisation VIRSA (which means heritage in Panjabi), Hardeep has been working with schools across Kirklees teaching young people about the heritage of Bhangra. His workshops are designed for all abilities, including those with special needs and disabilities.
“The workshops I do with schools are designed to be good fun as the dancing is very energetic, but they also help the pupils to understand other communities and their heritage,” he said. “The kids love them and it’s rewarding to see their enthusiasm when learning new skills.”
Now he is taking his passion for the culture to the other side of the world to spread its heritage and encourage people to take part in an innovative performance for World Bhangra Day on Friday, April 13.
Dancers will be performing around the world at 2pm. Hardeep has booked the large hall in the new Oastler Building at the University of Huddersfield for the event and there will be a free Bhangra workshop from 1pm open to everyone.
He said: “There are two main aspects to what I do. To research the heritage and authenticity of Bhangra before it gets lost over time but also to find new ways of expressing it and disseminating it to other cultures that may not have experienced it before.”
Hardeep has just been to Australia to do Bhangra workshops as well as perform in a large-scale production at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
Festival 2018 which is part of the Commonwealth Games featured more than 1,440 artists from 50 countries delivering 1,000 arts and cultural experiences including music, theatre, dance, visual arts and film.
Hardeep is also the founder of the World Bhangra Council, which over the last few years has flourished with more than 123 cultural ambassadors - like-minded individuals from across over 23 countries who have a passion for Bhangra.
Local organisations like Dewsbury-based Manasamitra are also stimulating ideas, forms and aesthetics from India and putting them in a contemporary British context.
It is working with schools and communities as well as producing contemporary community projects such as Bollywood Jazz, a new Indo-Jazz music fusion inspired by the songs and instrumental music of Bollywood films.
Radio Sangam based in Kirklees launched in May 2016 as the first 24-hour Asian FM radio station and is listened to on DAB across northern Britain, including Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow.
For more information about Virsa, go to www.virsa.info
