Bhangra

Non Stop Bhangra Documentary by Odell Hussey WHAT THIS IS: An intimate look inside the award winning Indian monthly event in San Francisco called Non Stop Bhangra, where a group of over 20+ people come together each month to produce a unique and cultural nightlife experience. This documentary started out as one man's vision to shoot a short bio on a musical sub genre and then evolved into 2 and a half years of his life's work as he followed the group through their many trials and tribulations. The energy of this mixed collective continues to persevere as it helps break down the cultural separations through the transformative power of music and dance. WHO WE ARE: An award winning monthly event and collective in San Francisco Bay Area. Imagine a scene from a Bollywood movie smack in the middle of a thumping nightclub -swirling colors, the rhythm of pounding feet, & the relentless energy of brilliant beats - that's NON STOP BHANGRA! Featured every month at Public Works in San Francisco, Non Stop Bhangra is a unique experience that celebrates the beautiful and vibrant spirit of Bhangra, a traditional folk music and dance from the Punjab region of North India. Highlighting the ancestral roots of Punjabi dance while pushing boundaries with contemporary influences, Non Stop Bhangra is a genre-busting elixir of North Indian Bhangra music and dance, mixed with reggae, hip-hop, and electronica. An ever-evolving collective of dancers, DJs, drummers, vocalists, and musicians, Non Stop Bhangra is a non-stop party. Featuring dance lessons and performances with Dholrhythms Dance Company, and music by DJ Jimmy Love, the group has won legions of fans with its monthly events in San Francisco. Dholrhythms Dance Company also promotes the artistic and cultural heritage of India with classes and workshops, providing a unique platform for people of diverse backgrounds to come together and dance in a positive environment. WHY WE ARE SHARING THIS: Through the creation of this film, we have experienced resistance by people to accept Bhangra presented by a Caucasian DJ and a group of ethnically diverse women. While this is a persistent challenge for us, we are confident that this documentary filled with appreciation for dance and where it came from can help bridge the gap of understanding and gain acceptance by our toughest critics. We hope to open up the dialogue through education and exposure of this documentary to ultimately raise Bhangra's profile to include more diverse perspectives, without alienating the traditional ones. Much like the love and energy amongst the Non Stop Bhangra collective, the goal has always been to turn more people onto this beautiful music and culture and continue to grow out the Non Stop Bhangra community. The world needs positive people bringing others together, and a massive need for us as cultures to realize how similar we are. Music has always been a vehicle for this, and video has always been a major way in spreading the message even further. Our goal is to share the love for this sound and energy, inspiring people around the world around what can be accomplished when people from all walks of life come together with a shared passion and heart. ABOUT THE FILMMAKER: Odell Hussey is the visionary behind this film -- he is a talented photographer & video editor living in San Francisco, CA. His background in documentary filmmaking & photography spans 10+ years. He has worked as a editor and cameraman on a variety of documentary and commercial projects over the years. His work with photography reflects his passion for people & the diversity of the world we live in. Whether doing portraits or covering live events, Odell embraces the process of looking, learning, and capturing great moments in time. MORE INFO ON NON STOP BHANGRA: www.nonstopbhangra.com www.facebook.com/nonstopbhangra MORE INFO ON FILMMAKER ODELL HUSSEY: www.odellhussey.net www.facebook.com/odellhusseyphotography ****if you found this inspiring in any way, please help us share it and spread the energy. Thank you!

• published: 13 Aug 2013
• views: 3947