Registration
Don’t miss your Chance to Compete against the Best!
Thank you for your interest in the Boston Bhangra Competition. After the phenomenal success of our competition the last 20 years, we look forward to bringing an even better competition to you this year! Teams from these competitions have deemed us one of the “best competitions” in the country, and we look forward to living up to that title again this year.
This year’s competition will be taking place on Saturday November 23rd, 2024 @ the historic Strand Theatre in Boston. Registration is now closed and we are pleased to announce the following Team Lineup!
We will be placing 1st ($5,000), 2nd ($1,000) and 3rd ($500) respectively. However, more importantly than the ranking, we promise to bring the best competition and proper organization to Bhangra. Our goal is to promote our South Asian culture and our love of Bhangra in the US, and through proper organization, creativity, and planning we believe this event will help us reach that goal.
If you have any questions, please contact us @ info@bostonbhangra.com.
Judging
Ensure Integrity to our Rich Dance
We understand that teams are always concerned about qualified judges and having an appropriate scoresheet that will fit their style. We go through many means to ensure that our scoring and judges are well qualified for the Boston Bhangra Competition.
Our scoresheet puts the emphasis on creativity and difficulty. Those are the areas that have always differentiated the champions of Boston Bhangra. Our emphasis is on looking for the BEST team of the night irrespective of your style. We want modern and traditional teams and a good mix of male, female and co-ed teams. We want all different styles to compete against one another to showcase which is the best that night. Bottom line to teams is that you have to BRING IT with your style! We want our qualified judges to have a TOUGH time based on your performances. Below is the rubric that we have aligned with our judges:
| Criteria | Points |
|---|---|
| DESIGN | |
| Creativity in Choreo | 15 |
| Difficulty of Choreo | 10 |
| Opening | 5 |
| Ending | 5 |
| Formation Design | 10 |
| EXECUTION | |
| Team Synchronization | 10 |
| Individual Dancing Form | 15 |
| Formations | 10 |
| Stage Presence/Nakhra | 10 |
| Consistency of Energy | 10 |
| OVERALL IMPACT | 15 |
JUDGES
Below is a listing our esteemed judges. This list may still change, but these are all the confirmed judges in alphabetical order:
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Guransh Kaler | Guransh started his dancing career in 2014, dancing with Bruin Bhangra where he later captained the team from 2016-2018. After graduating, he co-founded and captained Farishtey, placing at 5 consecutive competitions. Since retiring from dancing, Guransh has judged competitions across the country, most recently at Bruin Bhangra and Bhangra Blowout. He also makes bhangra mixes under the artist name Kalerity. |
| Harmeet Singh | Harmeet’s love for bhangra and music came from his late father, Ravi Dhaliwal, who had a deep love for Punjabi music. Harmeet’s love for music and dance led him to becoming one of the original founders of Apna Bhangra Crew (ABC) from Seattle in 2006. Harmeet went on to compete with ABC from 2007 - 2019, winning numerous bhangra competitions across North America. His love for kids, and helping them grow through bhangra, is what led him to start teaching bhangra in 2009. Since then, Harmeet and a few close friends formed ABC Dance Center in 2017, which is now home to over 300 kids and adults of all ages. He has coached the all-girls ABC team to success by placing at all 8 of the competitions they competed in. Keeping the Punjabi culture alive, in a fun and healthy way is at the core of Harmeet’s values. Harmeet has also had the honor to judge at various bhangra competitions over the years, such as Bruin and Boston Bhangra various times. |
| Pooja Jhaveri | Pooja Jhaveri has been dancing and choreographing Bhangra since 2013. She has played an integral role in shaping the Bhangra community of Boston as a captain of New England Bhangra Club and as a member of FAUJ. In addition to considerable placings in the USA, she has competed internationally in Australia as well as in the live category in Canada. She has judged at several competitions including Bruin Bhangra, Bhangra in the Burgh, and Bhangra Blowout. As a Judge, Pooja looks for teams that bring creativity and unique ideas to the stage, execute with appropriate form and energy, and dance with passion and respect for the traditional folk elements of Bhangra. |
| Varan Singh Rakhra | Varan Singh Rakhra has been a part of the competitive Bhangra scene for the past 17 years. From dancing at over 20 competitions to organizing various schools and fitness centers, he has developed a deep understanding of the intricacies of stage performance, technical execution, creativity, and most importantly the folk element of bhangra and history behind it. He performed with several top teams, from 2007 to 2012, at some of the nation's highest profile competitions. He's particularly known for dancing with PCBCA. He also started DCB from 2014-2016 and danced with various team in between to help out as last minute dancers. Although he left the competitive Bhangra scene as a dancer, he continues to teach and judge Bhangra and other dance forms all around the world. He has judged over 25 competitions including Championship of Bhangra, Boston Bhangra, Bhangra in the Burgh, Motor City Bhangra, Buckeye Mela, Bhandra down under, Bhangra Arena, Bhangra Arena, NDC, Clutch City Bhanga, West Coast Bhangra, Bhangra in the Alamo, Elite Bhangra Bhangra in the Roots, Dhamak Bhangra and most recently Bhangra Revolution and GHG bhangra. Please, welcome one of the great Bhangra minds in North America: Varan Singh Rakhra! |