Established in 2006, Bhangra Empire is a San Francisco Bay Area dance team in California. The team is composed of undergraduates, graduate students, and recent graduates pursuing a variety of career paths while taking time to pursue Bhangra and Punjabi culture. The team has won 16 awards in four years.
Popular culture
President Obama's first State Dinner
On November 24, 2009, Bhangra Empire performed at the first State Dinner hosted by President Barack Obama and the First Lady, Michelle Obama. The event honored its chief guest Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh and was held on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C.
Along with Bhangra Empire, the entertainment lineup included the National Symphony Orchestra, A.R. Rahman, Kurt Elling, and Jennifer Hudson.
The guest list included a mix of prominent figures in United States and Indian politics, business, and entertainment, including the President and First Lady, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Colin Powell, Bobby Jindal, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Steven Spielberg, M. Night Shyamalan, Alfre Woodard, and Blair Underwood.
America's Got Talent (Season 5)
On Tuesday June 22, 2010, Bhangra Empire made its debut on national television on America's Got Talent (Season 5) with a first round audition in Portland, Oregon. The performance received a standing ovation from the audience and three yeses from celebrity judges Howie Mandel, Piers Morgan, and Sharon Osbourne.
Harper's Bazaar
Selected by First Lady Michelle Obama as one of the foremost up-and-coming talents in the United States, Bhangra Empire participated in a photo shoot in the White House Ballroom with the First Lady for Harper's Bazaar magazine. The full article, and photo, were published in the November 2010 issue.
Competitive performances
2010
Boston Bhangra - 1st place
Performance video: unavailable
Held at the Orpheum Theater in Boston, Massachusetts, on November 13, 2010
VIBC - 3rd place
Performance video: unavailable
Held at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on May 9, 2010 Kollaboration - 1st runner-up Performance video: Kollaboration 2010 Held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on March 6, 2010 Elite 8 Bhangra Invitational Performance video: Elite 8 2010 Held at the Lisner Auditorium in Washington, D.C., on February 27, 2010
2009
Boston Bhangra - 2nd place
Performance video: unavailable
Bruin Bhangra - 1st place
Performance video: Bruin Bhangra 2009
Best of the Best V - 1st place, 1st overall
Performance video: Best of the Best 2009
VIBC - 1st place
Performance video: VIBC 2009
2008
Boston Bhangra - 1st place
Performance video - Boston Bhangra 2008
Bruin Bhangra - 2nd place
Performance video - Bruin Bhangra 2008
Bhangra Fusion
Performance video - unavailable
SoCal Bhangra - 1st place
Performance video - unavailable
Dhol Di Awaz - 2nd place
Performance video - Dhol Di Awaz 2008
Punjabi Showdown - 1st place, most entertaining
Performance video - Punjabi Showdown 2008
2007
Rooh Punjab Di - 3rd place
Performance video: Rooh Punjab Di 2007
Bhangra Nation West - 1st place
Performance video: Bhangra Nation West 2007
Giant Bhangra
Performance video: Giant Bhangra
Dhol Di Awaz
Performance video: Dhol Di Awaz 2007
2006
Bulldog Bhangra
Performance video: Bulldog Bhangra 2006
Nachda Punjab
Performance video: Nachda Punjab 2006
Rooh Punjab Di
Performance video: Rooh Punjab Di 2006
Community involvement
Many of Bhangra Empire's high-energy competitive performances are watched by audiences of over 5000 attendees. In addition to competitive and high-profile performances, Bhangra Empire performs at local community festivals, functions, and charity events. Bhangra Empire coaches a kids' Bhangra team and teaches bhangra classes at several locations throughout the Bay Area.