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Vancouver is the City of Bhangra
Vancouver comes alive with the beats, rhythm and movements of Bhangra during VIBC 2008: City of Bhangra.
From Feb 29 to Mar 8, the Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration, a week-long festival showcasing the sounds and beauty of the Indian dance form of Bhangra, at locations across Downtown Vancouver.
"VIBC 2008 is all about celebrating the spirit of Bhangra and welcoming people from all cultures to enjoy this beautiful art form," says the VIBC Society. “Our goal is to share the universal rhythm of Bhangra through this exciting weeklong festival."
Bhangra is a dynamic, colourful dance form created hundreds of years ago in celebration of the harvest in Punjab.
The festival will include free concerts and dance performances, Bhangra dance lessons, an art exhibit and the VIBC's newest production, bhangra: authentic, a scripted performance of traditional dance, music and history.
"Welcome to the City of Bhangra! In February, Vancouver will again host North America's premiere Bhangra event, the Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration," VIBC adds.
For several days, the city will transform into a mecca for Bhangra enthusiasts everywhere – dance and dhol drum workshops, live music and dancing, main-stage performances, a photo art exhibit, and the much-anticipated, VIBC Competition.
Bhangra has enjoyed a surge in popularity worldwide, both in traditional form and as a fusion with genres such as hip-hop, house, and reggae.
Founded in 2004, the VIBC Society is a not-for-profit organization run by a dedicated group of volunteers. The Society organizes the Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration, an annual arts festival celebrating the Indian dance form of Bhangra.
The Society's vision is to embrace the spirit of celebration, generosity and community that is Bhangra. The VIBC is dedicated to spreading the universal rhythm of Bhangra and welcoming people from all cultures to enjoy the beats of this beautiful art form.
Bhangra, in the traditional sense, is a folk dance and not a music form though now it is seen to refer to both to the music and the dance. Bhangra depends heavily on percussion.
Bhangra began as a part of harvest and baisakhi festival celebrations, and found its way to the performance stage after the division of the Punjab in 1947.
The Queen Elizabeth Theatre at 649 Cambie Street Vancouver BC. For more informations information call: 604 315-2599.
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