In June SimplyBhangra.com ran a competition to see which three teams would be exclusively showcased on the website in the run up to BhangraWars 2012! Second to be showcased is the group: ASIAN STREET REMIX

2nd place in the Simply Bhangra / Bhangra Wars promo competition, we talk to ASIAN STREET REMIX. Video by MadTatter Films

Who founded Your group?

ASR was founded in 2005 by 2 best friends with a passion for bhangra/giddha dancing.

Is your group male/female/mixed only?

ASR was initially a female only group, however, in order to reach the creative heights that we as Captains had envisioned, we decided to develop and expand our group. ASR are still a predominantly female group, but we are now a mixed team.

Who is the captain?

There are two team captains who run ASR, they are Roma Nahar and Anjli Prit.

How many members are there in your group?

ASR is a ever expanding group, so there is never a set amount of dancers, however, we currently have 11 dancers.

Does Your team have a Slogan/motto?

Our slogan is “Mixing Yesterdays Traditions, With Todays Culture”

With the forthcoming competition Bhangra Wars 2012 only a month away -what would you say are your Groups most strongest elements?

Creativity with a contemporary twist, our high energy levels and the surprise elements that we incorporate into our routine.

Did the founding members of your group receive any Bhangra dance tuition or had mentors who guided and trained Them?

The founding members of ASR are both self taught, but take inspiration from various other dance teams both in the UK and around the world.

What are your thoughts on music and live Bhangra routines?

It's encouraging to see, that there is platform for both live and music sets in the UK. ASR appreciates the traditionalism and authenticity of live sets, but we relish in the creativity of musical sets.

We agree with the statement below (thanks GCC :D), as we feel that this was the perfect way to describe how live and music sets live beside each other in the UK.

“The foundations of bhangra are learnt through live sets such as segments and basic formations, creativity is introduced through pre-recorded music sets”.

What makes a good judge in terms of judging competitions?

Someone who understands the art, but can appreciate the different forms that it comes in i.e. traditional/contemporary

Someone who is fair and non bias towards live/ music sets

Someone who has been within the industry, and can appreciate the amount hardwork, dedication and time that it takes for each team to prepare for a competition

Ok, competitions are now growing here in the UK...where do you see UK Bhangra?

The UK Bhangra Scene, is slowly, but surely starting to develop and the increase of Bhangra teams in the UK as well as competitions such as Bhangra Wars, TBS and Capital Bhangra, are proof of this.

In the UK, we are fortuante to have many Bhangra artists who promote the Bhangra industry through melas and media events. This in turn has given Bhangra teams the opportunity to perform alongside such artists which not only showcases their talent as a team, but enables them to be recognised by a whole host of people.

In saying that, competitions raise awareness of Bhangra in the UK, it encourages current and upcoming teams to build upon their knowledge and understanding of Bhangra, it builds courage and confidence within teams, it promotes friendly competition amongst University and Professional teams and enables UK Bhangra teams to work harder as a whole.

The UK Bhangra scene will always be different to the US scene as Bhangra over there mainly revolves and is seen through competitions. In the UK we have a different public platform with melas, events and festivals being the outlet to where bhangra is shown. We are now fortunate enough to also have Bhangra completions in the UK, but feel that we will struggle to reach the US competitive level if it's not encouraged. In the UK, we are lucky to have all opportunities, as collectively they make up the UK Bhangra scene today, hence why altogether they are promoting Bhangra and showing what the UK has to offer.

Ideally, in the future, we would love UK Bhangra to be acknowledged as an art, rather than to be seen as just entertainment.

How much does winning Bhangra Wars 2012 mean to your team?

More so than winning the competition, recognition for all our hard work, being appreciated for what we stand for and what ASR brings to the stage is a victory in itself.

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