(Photo Credit: Jieliang Hao)
The Harvard South Asian Association’s (SAA) Ghungroo resembled, as one of its actors claimed, a “Trip to Mumbai and back without the jetlag.” 112 dancers, 12 songs, several decades of Bollywood film–and that was just one dance.
Ghungroo was passionately crafted by hundreds of undergraduates, who displayed their many talents and immense pride in their cultural heritage through a performance of music, dance and drama at the Agassiz Theater. Most evident and endearing was their love of the South Asian Association: a deeply united community, a family away from home. In its 21st year, Ghungroo is one of the largest student-run productions on campus, bringing together people of all backgrounds to celebrate South Asia’s cultural heritage.
During the show, one actor said to the audience in a heavy accent, “By now you are probably wondering, how do I become Indian?” He explained, “We desis love to party. In order to be a good desi, you have to know how to have fun!” This sentiment rang true throughout the colorful production.
Though it was clear that some performers had studied their craft of music, drama, or dance longer than others, this variation in level of training was easily outshone by the high level of commitment from each performer. Each individual radiated with joy as they performed. All were equal in delivering each note, skit, and dance step with gusto.
Performances alternated from classical work to contemporary remixes. Some performers even went so far as to rap and sing while digging into cultural stereotypes. The theme of combating stereotypes through humor, particularly those revolving around parental expectations, infused the program.
The highlights of the night were the opening dance and the final Senior Dance, which both featured an astounding 112 dancers. Called the Apurva Laya, the first dance was the classical selection for this year’s Ghungroo. It featured intricate footwork , as well as an intense and professional emphasis on meticulous facial expressions and the precise placement of feet and hands which characterize Indian classical dance. Choreographed by Anisha Kumar ’12 and Janani Raveendran ’12, both of whom also appeared in the piece, the dance featured eight experienced dancers who were consistently in sync and able to synthesize all the various components of the Bharathanatyam technique, which is inspired by ancient temple sculptures and includes specific, elaborate neck and eye movements with challenging balances.
Other pieces had distinct Bollywood and Bhangra influences, and even explored the emerging popularity of hip hop in South Asia. The piece entitled “Hip-Hop,” choregraphed by Souvik Paul 11’ and Tara Tai ’10, included songs from Bally Sagoo and Slumdog Millionaire. Though most dances featured traditional classical and semi-classical South Asian folk medleys and hit songs, others included tracks like Cascada’s “Evacuate the Dance Floor” and “Do You Remember,” ubiquitously known via Jay Sean. Inspiration came from every place and every time, such as folk dances from Rajasthan and the hills of Nepal.
The impressive and energetic dance numbers were supplemented with musical performances and brief skits, which added enjoyable variety to the show. Music excerpts included selections from Bengali and Hindustani music. “Bollywood Rock” arguably received the most applause; vocals by Omer Aftab ’11, Palak Patel ’11, Siddarth Chandrasekaran ’12 and Suhas Rao ’12 provided a nice interlude between the more classical inclusions.
The main skit, titled “The Three Idiots and Kajol go to Bartley’s Burgers” was a touching tribute to a crazy night for four friends as they look forward to graduating and reflect back on their experiences at Harvard. Another memorable skit was “Legally Brown,” an amusing take-off of the film Legally Blonde,which is set at Harvard. Though filled with innumerable inside jokes and sometimes stale humor, what translated and truly pervaded all of Ghungroo were the close relationships and strong friendships developed among the cast and the production staff.
An eclectic and enthralling production, Ghungroo not only taught and instilled appreciation for the culture of South Asia, but demonstrated the remarkably ability of such a large group of Harvard students to come together and create a performance that is impressive, amusing, and meaningful.
–The Harvard Art Review Dance Board
