Unlike the tragic hero of the Punjabi romantic tale Heer-Ranjha, these Ranjhe(s) from Melbourne were an upbeat bunch. They came, they danced and they conquered; winning hearts and the coveted trophy at Singapore based RedDot Bhangra's inaugural international bhangra competition.
Six teams from Singapore, Australia, Malaysia and India fought tooth and nail for the top slot. The dancers showed the Lion City what a lively Punjabi-style party looks like and broke the barriers of race, cultures and nationality through dance.
Hargobind Singh, founder of RedDot Bhangra and director of the competition, said, "Bhangra is really growing in the region. US circuit is up, UK circuit and Australian circuit has come aligned and Southeast Asia is next."
Team Ranjhe from Melbourne, Australia took home the trophy and the SGD 1,100 prize. The team, made up of university students aged 19-24, highlighted the popularity of bhangra with the world's youth. More than 600 audience attending the show got a glimpse of the ebullient Punjabi culture through the traditional dance form.
Here are the glimpses of the show for all those who missed it:
