Just out in the August issue of India Currents!
“NSB is not just a niche
thing. It’s reflective of San Francisco,” notes Virk. This translates into a
dance floor that features Punjabis steeped in bhangra next to total newbies.
“When you get a group of desi guys dancing on the floor, it’s uplifting. It’s
contagious. They start teaching other folks. They see their culture being
shared with non-Indian folks… the more Indian folks can embrace this and come
out the more this can grow in a positive direction,” says Virk. NSB is unique
in that it draws, and harmonizes, traditional Punjabis with a crowd from across
South Asia and the US. “The purpose is to make people happy. When we come
together we can forget our differences and remind ourselves of the goodness and
sweetness in life,” shares Virk. Each person leaves NSB a little sweeter, a
little sweatier, and certainly a lot happier.
Apparently her philosophy is working.
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| Suman Raj, Jimmy Love, and Vicki Virk Photo By Odell Hussey |
“Bhangra is about sharing
Punjabi culture. It has the joy and beauty of folk music, but it’s not
inaccessible like classical dance. Bhangra connects people,” explains Vicki
Virk, Co-Founder and Dholrhythms Creative Director. “Non Stop Bhangra is a
cultural experience as well as a night-life experience… it’s for the young and
the young at heart” comments Suman Raj, Co-Founder and Dholrhythms Business
Director. “The beat at the base of bhangra is undeniable and something that ignites
the dance floor the second the music starts” adds Jimmy Little, also known as
DJ Jimmy Love, Co-Founder and Non Stop Bhangra Producer. Non Stop Bhangra is a
contagiously uplifting, ridiculously exuberant opportunity to experience the
joy that is bhangra. Rooted in Virk’s Punjabi heritage, the event reflects San
Francisco’s diverse music scene and draws hundreds from across the Bay Area
each month.
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| Dholrhythms Photo By Ram Srinivisan |
Non Stop Bhangra was founded
in 2004 in San Francisco when Virk and Raj, the founders of Dholrhythms Dance
Company, joined forces with Love. The result is an experience regularly voted
as one of the “best dance parties” by a variety of sources including the New
York Times and the San Francisco Guardian. On the second Saturday of every
month Public Works transforms into a kaleidoscope of wildly different people
all moving to the beat of the dhol.
The event is “accessible to a wide range of audiences, ages, and ethnicities.
Even the most dedicated wallflowers get out on the dance floor,” says Virk. The
opening of the event is welcoming, with a bhangra lesson and performance before
the night gets going. “NSB has a lot to
offer in just a few hours. A dance lesson which incorporates a history of the
music and dance form, a chance to see choreographed performances… and the
ability to get your dance on and still be home by midnight. If you’re a night
owl, you can dance your feet off until three in the morning,” explains
Raj.
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| NonStop Crowd Photo by Odell Hussey |
“NSB has a cult following.
It’s a chance for our diverse monthly collective to come together and celebrate
the music and spirit of bhangra,” says Virk. Each month NSB features a
different theme, blending bhangra with reggae, Bollywood, Latin, hip hop, or
world music. August’s theme is “Crash an Indian Wedding.” No ceremonies are
involved, just the joyful experience of a wedding reception. “Indian receptions
are full of energy, great music and lots of dancing. You can get dressed up,
bring friends, family, or strangers… enjoy some eats, music and dancing without
the long boring speeches” says Raj. “We are working on everything from henna to
photo booths, Indian food and sweets from New Delhi Restaurant, as well as San
Francisco’s first baraat mob along
the streets of the Mission to the doors of the club” shares Love. “We’re going
to decorate so it looks like a wedding, we expect everyone to dress up in
vibrant colors, and the DJs will be spinning Hindi, Punjabi, and American
wedding songs all night with a live dhol”
adds Virk.
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| Dholrhythms Photo by Odell Hussey |
Dholrhythms, which performs
every NSB, brings traditional bhangra and giddha
to the stage while featuring Virk’s distinctive cross-over choreography. Known
in the Bay Area as a vibrant group of “bhangra-istas,” Dholrhythms has
performed at events including TEDxSF, the Stern Grove Festival, and the Goldman
Environmental Award Ceremony as well as dancing at shows across the western
United States and Canada. Dholrhythms brings the color to the stage, and DJ
Jimmy Love brings the beat that makes NSB. Described as “pretty desi for a
white guy,” Love is the magic managing the decks. Along with dholi and DJ Ravi Sandhu, Love keeps the
dance floor moving. “We have always tried to share our love of Punjabi culture
with a wider audience while holding true to an authentic bhangra sound. Over the past ten years there’s been a
growing desire to find out more about the music [bhangra]… we strive to build
local artists up by turning them onto the music” says Love. The result is a
distinctive experience that entices everyone. “We bring in Indian DJs and they
tend to go sideways, they start experimenting with hip hop and house. Our
non-Indian DJs are really creative. They play what feels good, and end up
surprising the desis on the dance floor when suddenly they pull out an old song
people haven’t heard in years,” comments Virk.
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| Courtesy of Jimmy Love |
Non Stop Bhangra
Saturday, July 14th
9pm to 3am
Public Works, 161 Erie
Street, San Francisco
$10 advance, $15 door
