Deputy Editor Elisha Zhao checked out Bhangra in the Heights last night and it was a stunner!

Talk to anyone who attended Bhangra in the Heights and they’ll tell you they had a blast. From 7 to 9 p.m. in Roone this past Saturday, bhangra teams from around the greater New York and New England area showed off their moves to a very hyped crowd.

Bhangra dance finds its origins in the region of Punjab, an integration over history from a variety of more local folk dances. It celebrates the harvest with a burst of color and movement, as often most notably observed in the varidyaan, or outfits, which maintain fluidity in motion while drawing the eye with their dazzling hues and embroidery. In addition to the dhol barrel drum that may be played to keep the beat, dancers use the saap, an instrument composed of x-shaped wooden parts that clap together, and the shikke, a decorated bamboo stick.

Roots and Wings defined the theme of each performance, referencing the beauty of defining an inherently South Asian space in the midst of relocation and immigration, in addition to the enlivening, joyfully restorative nature of learning this dance.

The night opened with the New England Bhangra Club, an all-girls team who set the mood for the evening with spot-on coordination, high energy, and brilliant choreography. Their vibrant outfits, spanning a rainbow of colors, matched perfectly with the stage lighting (serious shout-out to whoever was manning the lights). Also impressive was the preceding hype video, a minute-long compilation that showcased the team’s history and its members.

Following were MIT Bhangra and Rochester Bhangra, both so crazy good that the packed auditorium was buzzing as we were led into intermission (Columbia Bhangra Alumni was delayed after getting stuck in the Lerner elevators… oops). It was exciting when they joined the stage, however, especially in being able to see how bhangra kept the group so closely together even after graduation. Raw Elementz then blew us all out of the water with their hip hop performance. Next up were Husky Bhangra (hailing from UConn), Bhangra Theory (New York City’s only independent bhangra team!), and Yale Jashan Bhangra.

Finishing the night was our very own Columbia Bhangra, and let me tell you that hype video was beyond words. The energy in the room was palpable, punctuated by frequent cheers and closed out with a standing ovation. Between the gorgeously saturated colors and incredibly groovy beat, Bhangra in the Heights really took us to new heights.