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 22 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 14th, 2026 @ the historic Strand Theatre in Boston.
The BIG update for this year is that we will have a Live category and a Music category, each with their own respective judges and with each category having their own prize money. This is a first for Boston Bhangra and we're VERY excited about these updates for the upcoming competition! Learn more about judging below.
The regular registration deadline is on Friday, August 28th, 2026 and the late registration deadline will be Friday, September 25th, 2026. Please be sure to review the registration packet for further details. By applying before August 28th, your team will save some money. Please keep in mind that all registration should take place through our Online Application which is the easiest way to register for the competition!For the 23rd year, we will have the following benefits:
Benefits for Regular Registration (By August 28th):
- Pay just a $100 non-refundable application fee.
- We will accept a limited number of teams on a rolling basis. If you apply early, and can convince us of accepting you, we will take you early!
General Registration Information:
- For late registration, the non-refundable application fee is $130.
We will be placing 1st ($2,500), 2nd ($1,000) and 3rd ($0) in each category. 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 for 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 |
|---|---|
| MUSIC CATEGORY | |
| DESIGN | |
| Creativity in Choreo | 15 |
| Difficulty of Choreo | 15 |
| 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 |
| LIVE CATEGORY | |
| DESIGN | |
| Folk Elements | 20 |
| Opening | 5 |
| Ending | 5 |
| EXECUTION | |
| Team Synchronization | 20 |
| Formations | 10 |
| Stage Presence/Nakhra | 10 |
| Consistency of Energy | 10 |
| Band | 15 |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| MUSIC JUDGES | |
| 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. Most recently, Guransh founded LA Bhangra Club to continue giving back to the community. |
| Harmeet Dhaliwal | Harmeet Dhaliwal's passion for bhangra was sparked by his late father's deep love of Punjabi music. In 2006, Harmeet became a founding member of Apna Bhangra Crew (ABC) in Seattle, competing across North America for thirteen years. Having earned 20 competitive wins as a dancer/coach, helped him become one of the circuit's most respected competitors. He began teaching in 2009, and in 2017 co-founded ABC Dance Center, now home to over 300 students. Under his coaching, ABC's all-girls team won five consecutive competitions in 2023- 2024, and his Coed team took top honors at both GHG and Boston Bhangra in 2025. Harmeet has judged at GHG Bhangra, Bruin Bhangra, and Boston Bhangra, driven by a purpose that runs through everything he does: keeping Punjabi culture alive while shaping strong, grounded, and successful individuals for the future. |
| Harnaz Mann | Harnaz’s journey into the world of Bhangra began at the age of eleven. Over the years, he has distinguished himself in numerous dance competitions, excelling in both the music and live categories. Notably, Harnaz is one of the few North American dancers to have competed in India, experiencing Bhangra in its most authentic form. Beyond competing, Harnaz has served as a judge across all levels of competition, from high school and inter-academy events to premier competitions such as 6ixCity Bhangra and the Back2Roots. Now serving as captain of Anokhey Gabru, Harnaz is dedicated to honoring the roots of Bhangra while creating his own path, blending tradition and innovation in every performance. |
| LIVE JUDGES | |
| Baldeep Singh | Baldeep Singh is a passionate and dedicated Bhangra artist with a proven record of extraordinary achievements. He was recognized as the Best Dancer in All India Folk Dance Competition in 2013 and 2016 and at the Bhangra World Cup in GNDU Amritsar in 2012. He has also won with his respective teams 9 times Kartarpur, Punjab, DAV College in Jalandhar and state level national integration camps in Chandigarh from 2011-2016. He later created his own team called Folklore Bhangra Academy in Montreal Canada. He has helped coach his team at all the prestigious competitions in Canada. He has also gone on to be one of the most relevant judges in the circuit. He has judged at Back to Roots, World Folk Festival, Flower City, 6ix City, and Folk Nach multiples times over the past 3 years. Balwinder is committed to promoting Bhangra internationally and preserving the beautiful dance form for future generations. |
| Jot Prakash Singh | Jot Prakash has dedicated his life to Bhangra, beginning his journey in 1999 and gaining extensive experience as a performer, coach, instructor, and judge. Throughout his career, he has represented his school and college at zonal, inter-zonal, national, and international competitions, earning multiple championships and individual Best Dancer awards. He has also judged Bhangra competitions in both India and Canada, giving him valuable experience in evaluating performances fairly and consistently. His strong knowledge of traditional Punjabi folk dance, choreography, musicality, synchronization, formations, stage presence, and cultural authenticity allows him to assess every team with professionalism, accuracy, and respect for the art of Bhangra. |
| Sukhjinder Singh | Sukhjinder Singh began his Bhangra journey in Punjab, winning multiple school titles and performing with Khalsa College Patiala at prestigious festivals winning Patiala Zonal festival. After moving to the UK, he founded Vasda Punjab, leading the team to victories at Folk Stars, Bhangra Wars, Bhangra Beatdown, Back to Roots Canada, Ground Shaker Canada and Bhangra Virsa, along with podium finishes at international competitions across Punjab, Canada, and the UK. Individually, Sukh has been awarded 3 Times Best male at school competitions, Best Male at Bhangra Fest (2017), World Folk Festival Canada (2023), and Bhangra Virsa (2025). Known for bringing authentic Punjabi folk to global stages, he has showcased Luddi, Malwai Giddha, Jhoomar, and Girls’ Giddha, and continues to share his expertise as a judge at major competitions including The Bhangra Showdown, Capital Bhangra, Vibe Bhangra, Dhamak Bhangra, 6ixth city Bhangra, Toronto folk legends and Punjab folk legends. |