Bhangra dancers shine in Windsor Symphony Orchestra concert

The energetic movements of Bhangra and the Windsor Symphony Orchestra collided on Sunday afternoon.

Members of the Windsor Bhangra Club brought the energetic dance to the Capitol Theatre stage as part of “Bhangra and Beyond.”

The two-hour concert featured works of primarily Indian composers and multiple performances of the dance created in Punjab, India.

Mannat Jhajj, a member of the Windsor Bhangra Club, said the experience was a first for their group.

“We performed while the orchestra was playing their instruments, and I feel like it's a really unique experience that we haven't been through and it was really enjoyable,” Jhajj said in an interview.

Performances were held on Saturday evening as well as Sunday afternoon.

The club practiced up to four times a week in the month leading up to the concert, spending more than two hours on their feet each time.

Bhangra dancers perform alongside the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, Sunday, November 17, 2024 (Robert Lothian/CTV News Windsor)

A combination of various folk dances, Jhajj noted each movement during Bhangra is filled with “passion,” which is used to “express ourselves.”

“I would describe it as like a cultural dance that is for them to explore and learn about as well as we learn ourselves,” Jhajj said.

The concert was conducted by Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser.

Batholomew-Poyser said the first half of the show consisted primarily of music by female Indian composers. The second half of the show was made up of the Bhangra music and dances.

 “When we as an orchestra, when we play Mozart, we know how to play Mozart, there’s almost a Mozart switch,” Batholomew-Poyser said.

“And now we’re playing these, you know, the first half is six new composers, and each has their own language, but there’s no tradition of how you play.”

The composer explained the first time he stumbled upon Bhangra music, he was “filled with happiness,” and got further into the genre.

For Jhajj and the Windsor Bhangra Club, there was a transition to learn working hand-in-hand with a composer.

“We have to, like, figure out the beat and work with them to match our dancing skills so we play in the correct tempo,” she said.

Although there was a period of nervousness ahead of their first performance, the club hopes to continue to find opportunities to share Bhangra in the Windsor-Essex region.