What is Bhangra and it's Outreach?

Now, most people don't know what it is. They might thick it's some sort of... dance, which it is, but not quite. They might mix it up with something else... We aren't really sure what but it happens. Anyways, Bhangra is the traditional folk dance and music that originated in the North Western region of India and Pakistan. This region is known as "Punjab". 

People traditionally performed Bhangra when celebrating the harvest. During Bhangra, people sing Punjabi Boliyaan  or lyrics, at least one person plays the the dhol, and other people may play the flute, dholak drum, or other musical instruments, while others are dancing. While Bhangra began as a part of harvest festival celebrations, it eventually became a part of such diverse occasions as weddings, parties and other festive occasians. Moreover, during the last thirty years, 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. As Bhangra continues to move into mainstream culture, an understanding of its history and tradition helps to appreciate it.

Bhangra singers hail from many parts of the world. Many popular artists from South Asia include Surjit Bindrakhia, Surinder Shinda, Manmohan Warris, A.S. Kang, Jagmohan Kaur, Hans Raj Hans, Kuldip Manak, Gurdass Mann, Ranjit Mani, Sardool Sikander, Daler Mehndi, Sarabjeet Cheema, Harbhajan Mann, and Amar Arshi. In the West, there are many popular artists. From United States and Canada, there are artists such as Sangeet Group of California, Jazzy Bains, and Bhinda Jatt. From England, there are DCS, Malkit Singh, B21, Safri Boyz, and Dippa.

Bhangra is becoming more popular worldwide and people of non-Punjabi background are listening to and performing Bhangra. Universities and other organizations are holding annual Bhangra dance competitions in many of the main cities of the United States, Canada, and England. At these competitions, young Punjabi's, people of different South Asian background, and people with no South Asian background compete. It is evident that every year Bhangra becomes more popular and known among many different types of people worldwide.