If you love dance or Bhangra, Boston was the place to be on November 23^rd, 2024!  Boston Bhangra Inc. hosted their 21^st  annual Boston Bhangra Competition on Saturday, at the Strand Theatre in Boston with a capacity over 1,200 people!

The competition level was very diverse and extremely competitive with teams from all over North America, according to organizers. Teams hailed from Vancouver Canada, Toronto, Canada, Florida, Illinois, Michigan,  and Boston. 

Seven  teams competed. Furteelay Shokeen from Michigan won the event, followed by Rangla Punjab from Vancouver, Canada in second place and Nachdi Jawani Diyan Mutiyaran from Toronto, Canada came in third.  Below is a description of the winning teams:

1st Place: Furteelay Shokeen
Furteelay Shokeen was founded in 2009 as a group of gabroos who wanted to show their love for bhangra. Furteelay Shokeen is now the premier all male bhangra team from Furteelay Dance- the premier midwest bhangra academy.

2nd Place: Rangla Punjab
Rangla Punjab Arts Academy is a folk arts institute that was established in 2016, and is based out of Surrey, British Columbia. We are a community based organization that is committed to serving our community through diverse projects. We also strongly endorse in promoting our Punjabi Virsa, Maa-Boli, and Culture. Our vision is to establish a platform in which our younger generations to come are embedded to their roots, mother language, and the Folk Art of Bhangra. We take pride in connecting with our community around the world through the art of Bhangra.

3rd Place: Nachdi Jawani Diyan Mutiyaran
Nachdi Jawani Diyan Mutiyaran is a dynamic all-girls dance team renowned for their electrifying Bhangra performances. With an infectious energy and an unbreakable spirit, this team brings the rich traditions of Punjabi dance to life with every beat. Whether they're lighting up local festivals or competing on a grand stage, Nachdi Jawani Diyan Mutiyaran embodies the heart and soul of Bhangra, making every performance a memorable and exhilarating experience.

We also have the following awards that were given out:

Best Mix: Sunehri Folk Arts

Best Jodi (couple): Red Jodi from Rangla Punjab

Best Vardi (Costumes): Furteelay Shokeen

People’s Champion: Nachdi Jawani Diyan Mutiyaran

The over three-hour event featured special performances from Bhangra legend, Balvir Boparai who lit the stage on fire at the end of the event!  He has massive hit songs like De De Gera, Hostel, Chharate, Paghan Pochiyan, Kali Kite Mil, Aaja Nachol and MANY more!

Shanti Restaurant was the food vendor of choice and sold snacks, dinner and drinks at the venue. Some of major sponsors/supporters included Barr Foundation, Chardikala Time TV, Mass Cultural Council, FirstPro, Masala Bay Restaurant and Brookline Community Foundation.  The show will be aired worldwide shortly and was shown live on youtube on the night of the event!

"It's always great to keep expanding year after year. This year we had Chardikla Time TV help support us nationally and globally to help expand the reach of Bhangra and all of the things we're doing.  We also had more than 30% non-south asians attend as we continue to attract a more diverse audience each year. It's a true pleasure to see how many people attend this event and that we're at the center of all of it," stated Rohit Bhambi, the co-founder of Boston Bhangra.

Look out for next year's event on November 15^th, 2025!

Boston Bhangra is a nonprofit organization that promotes cultural awareness and mentorship of children. For more information, visit www.bostonbhangra.com, e-mail info@bostonbhangra.com or call (617) 448-2508.

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