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Fusion Dance in America

With a history stretching back to 2,500 BC, India is a nation with a rich culture, much of which is shown through its music and dance. Different part of India have different styles of dance and music, each with its own distinct nuances. In the state of Gujarat, Raas and Garba are the popular styles of dancing. In the northern state of Punjab, Bhangra is the main dance. There are also classical styles throughout India. The north is known for Kathak, and the south is known for Bharatnatyam.

Most South Asian youth are the children of immigrants, and as a result, their parents have raised them with the values and culture that they were raised with in India. Whether it be learning their native language, watching films, or learning music and dance, parents attempt to connect their children to the motherland. Just as immigrant Indian families have adapted to an American lifestyle, the influence of the US can be seen in Indian dance styles, especially fusion, and the music that they dance to.

As they are raised the US, these South Asian-American youth blend the two cultures, in subtle ways such as mixing English words in with their native language when speaking, or in more apparent ways, such as dance. One of the most popular styles of dance for these youth in America is fusion. It is not a kind of dance, per se, but is instead a combination of multiple styles of dancing. The most common styles that are incorporated are hip-hop, Bollywood, Bhangra, contemporary, South Indian, classical, and Raas. By incorporating hip-hop and contemporary styles of dance into their routines, these dancers show how they have adapted to the country they have been raised in. Below is an example of how hip-hop is incorporated by the team OSU Genesis who started off their routine with hip-hop: (1:21 - 2:03)

In addition, they transition into their Bhangra routine with Kendrick Lamar’s m.A.A.D City, and start that segment with the song, showing how they even incorporate hip-hop music into other dance segments (2:21 - 2:26). 

The other popular American dance that these fusion teams incorporate into their routine is contemporary. Just like before, the style of dance does not necessarily match the type of music they are dancing to. Below is a clip of our very own Michigan Izzat, who did a contemporary segment to a Bollywood song, further showing how youth have blended the two cultures to create their own unique style (2:46 - 3:21). 

A third way these fusion dance teams mix their Indian roots with their American upbringing is by dancing to songs that are mix of Indian and Western songs. As you can see below, the team Buckeye Fusion did Bhangra to a song that was a mix of the popular song Havana with the typical back beats of a Bhangra song (2:30 - 2:55).

They do a similar mashup again in their Classical segment. This time they use Nattuvangam, which is the lyrical rhythm of Bharatnatyam dance, and put the back beats of Pray for Me, a popular song by the Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar (7:43 - 8:03). 

The adaptation of American culture to Indian dance does not stop at just the dance routine. Many of the themes are inspired by experiences of living in the US. For example, the theme of the OSU Genesis routine above was Scooby Doo, a popular kids tv show in the US. Themes such as that, which youth that have grown up in the US can relate, are very common in the fusion dance circuit.

Overall, as you can see, there is quite a bit of American influence on Indian dance, especially in the fusion circuit. By combining both aspects of their identity, South Asian youth have created a style that everyone can relate to and enjoys, resulting in a dance style that is only increasing in popularity.

Works Cited

AH Moment Productions, director. Buckeye Fusion 1st Place A2 Dhoom 2019. YouTube, YouTube, 26 Mar. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL9QRsK82OY.

Desi Dance Network, Inc., director. OSU Genesis LEGENDS Bollywood Dance 2018. YouTube, YouTube, 4 May 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=45QHDuMzcFo.

Mithin, director. Michigan Izzat Tufaan Entertainment 2016. YouTube, YouTube, 12 Apr. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MmGxiArXK8.