From time to time, Surrey India Arts Club has been involved in number of cultural activities in the community in addition to promoting different folk dances of Punjab. Dragon Boat Festival, Expo-86, 1976 Montreal Olympics, Canada Day celebrations in Vancouver, Annual Baisakhi Parades in Surrey and Vancouver, Mela Gadhari Babian Da are some of the events where Surrey India Arts Club has performed from time to time. Most of the members of Surrey India Arts Club have been on college, university or state level folk dance teams in Punjab. They bring such a vast dancing experience when to come to Surrey India Arts Club and have given wonderful performances across British Columbia right from William Lakes to Whistler. For two years back to back Surrey India Arts Club is winner of Bhangra Nation 6-2002 and Bhangra Nation 7-2003 International Bhangra Competition held in Toronto. Surrey India Arts Club is proud for not only winning the Best Dress award in 2002 Paji Guys Bhangra Competition held in New Westminster but also won 2002 Paji Guys Bhangra Championship. When it comes to traditional folk dance performance, Surrey India Arts Club is one of the most popular and respected Bhangra team across North America. Members of Surrey India Arts Club have also performed in many music videos of popular Punjabi singers and even with Harbhajan Mann in his movie "Jee Aayan Nu". To impart knowledge to its members, Surrey India Arts Club arrange different seminars and workshops from time to time on different topics related to Punjabi language and culture. On April 10, 2004 Surrey India Arts Club was invited to perform before an amazing gathering at Bhangra Blowout 11 during Judging Act at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington D.C. The Punjabi American Heritage Society, Yuba City, California invited Surrey India Arts Club to perform at 10th Annual Punjabi American Festival, which treats more than 15,000 festival goers to a taste of rich cultural heritage of Punjab. In addition to giving wonderful performance of Bhangra, famous Punjabi singer, Jazzy B, invited Surrey India Arts Club member to perform along with him on this popular songs and it was very much appreciated by the audience. The Punjabi American Heritage Society used famous Surrey India Arts Club team picture for their main promotional flyer. (http://www.punjabiamericanheritagesociety.com/upcomingevents.html) In year 2004, Surrey India Arts Club performed One Act play at Mela Gadhari Babian Da, Surrey. The play focused on Gadhar Party Lehar, one of first armed independence movemet against British Government starting from West Coast of North America. Picture of junior girl’s team performing at Mela also featured on next day local newspaper. In May 2004 world renowned sarangi
maestro Ustad Sultan Khan was in Canada and performing in B.C. and Alberta. He
gave his consent to humble request of Surrey India Arts Club and came their
studio to give introduction of Sarangi of students of Surrey India Arts Club
dance school. He was honored with “Award of Appreciation”. |
