Bhangra

Popular form of folk dance and music from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan. Traditionally a harvest dance but often performed during other festivals, bhangra involves colourful costumes, a strong drum beat, clapping, singing, and vigorous, ecstatic dancing.

Although it is traditionally a dance for men, modern bhangra, often performed by the whole community, has become popular in many western cultures. A hybrid form, influenced by other modern forms of Indian and western music, has become particularly popular in Europe, Canada, and the USA.

The strong drum beat pervading much of bhangra music is provided by the dhol – a double-sided wooden barrel drum. The rhythm pattern can be represented by a crotchet followed by a quaver, repeated continuously, using bass and treble sounds together (notated by dha), and only treble sounds (na), in the following way: dha na na na na dha dha na. This rhythm pattern is known as Chaal.