South Asia Gets Funkified

In Hindi, “raunak” translates to liveliness and gaiety, precisely the type of atmosphere the South Asian Dance Company hopes to create in its fifth annual production of Raunak, an intercollegiate fusion dance performance that will take place this Friday and Saturday.

For Nita K. Bhatia ’09, Raunak has provided an opportunity to combine her love for different areas of dance. Bhatia’s performance, which sets jazz and ballet dance steps to Indian music, is precisely the type of fusion Raunak is meant to showcase.

Bhatia, who is also one of Raunak’s directors, will be performing a duet with S. Monica Soni ’06, now a student at Harvard Medical School .

“I really like dancing to the beat of Indian music, but my training is in ballet. Our dance has lots of pirouettes, jumps and toe touches and I think it showcases that people come from all different dance experiences and that’s okay,” Bhatia says.

According to Bhatia, most of the acts in the show are focused on Indian dancing mixed with hip hop and jazz. The Indian dancing ranges from traditional dances to those that are Bollywood inspired.

“Most of the groups have some kind of South Asian influence, but also have a lot of space to be creative with choreography and music,” Bhatia says.

The Raunak show will feature three Harvard acts and 10 to 12 acts from other schools, including MIT, Brown, and Boston University.

“It’s unique because you usually don’t find intercollegiate dance shows on campus, so it’s a chance to meet new people and see what kind of talent other people have,” Bhatia says.

Along with the appeal of the intercollegiate aspect, Bhatia also believes the fusion aspect will draw in a wide variety of students.

“Since a lot of times hip-hop and jazz are mixed in with the performances, people who are watching can recognize some of the moves and songs that are mixed in with things that are completely foreign,” Bhatia says.

Though the show is meant to entertain and introduce students to fusion dance, its ultimate goal is to raise money for charity. Each year the directors choose a charity, usually one with a focus on advocating South Asian women’s rights. This year’s proceeds will go to the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), a women’s charity in India dedicated to improving economic independence for Indian women.