Sonia Grewal arrived in Canada as a baby in 1970, so her connection to her Indian roots came partly through rented Bollywood films.
B次元官网网址淢y mother, to keep me busy and out of trouble, sheB次元官网网址檇 turn on the (VCR),B次元官网网址� Grewal said. She fell in love with the genre, and danced along.
But as a Canadian girl, she also followed Western pop culture.
In elementary school, she started a dance group.
B次元官网网址淚t was just the four of us and weB次元官网网址檇 go around at recess doing these little dances to Shaun CassidyB次元官网网址檚 music,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淎s much as I loved Bollywood, I think I just picked up beats. B次元官网网址� At that age, any music that comes your way, youB次元官网网址檙e able to move with it.B次元官网网址�
The foursome called their troupe Sha Na Na.
B次元官网网址淗ow was I to know later on IB次元官网网址檇 have a (dance) school called Shan-e-Punjab?B次元官网网址� she asked.
While her schoolB次元官网网址檚 name sounds like the nonsense syllables from her childhood dance group, the meaning is quite different.
Shan-e-Punjab means B次元官网网址渢o bring honour to the Punjabi culture,B次元官网网址� she said.
These days, dance students are busy preparing for the annual Youth Showcase, in honour of the Sikh harvest festival. The school, started in 1996, teaches traditional dances from the Sikh region of Northern India, but also whatB次元官网网址檚 popular today.
B次元官网网址淚f the popular thing right now is Bhangra, then thatB次元官网网址檚 what weB次元官网网址檒l mainly focus on,B次元官网网址� Grewal said. That includes mixes with Top 40.
B次元官网网址淥ne year we had Michael Jackson,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭hat piece was contributed to us by a girl who has been with us for over 16 years B次元官网网址� and sheB次元官网网址檚 a third- or fourth-generation Indo-Canadian. B次元官网网址� YouB次元官网网址檝e got perspectives from everyone.B次元官网网址�
Today, Grewal has lost her family connection to her homeland.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no elder aunts, anybody there.B次元官网网址�
But keeping her culture alive through her dance school keeps her going.
B次元官网网址淓verybody needs that feeling of engagement. Who am I, where do I come from?B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淔or me, I think IB次元官网网址檓 a stronger person because of it. B次元官网网址� For me, itB次元官网网址檚 like my oxygen.B次元官网网址�
Mark your calendar:
The Shan-e-Punjab Dance, Performing Arts and Heritage School puts on its annual Youth Cultural Showcase on April 29. It takes place at 3 p.m. at the University of Victoria Farquhar Auditorium. Tickets $12 for adults and $7 for students. For more information, email Shan.e.Punjab1993@gmail.com.
