February 2018 – Afsana

18/02/2018 user Bhangra, Bhangra Groups in SG, Performing Arts

Yaar Panj-Aab Phangra Troupe

YPP started its journey in 2010 when founder, Sewak G, had the vision of starting a new bhangra team in Singapore. YPP’s goal of bringing Bhangra to a wider audience has seen them cross many hurdles to achieve the success they have today.

YPP started performing for family/friends events and quickly grew to performing for national and international events. Through the hard work of the pioneer bhangra members and of course the young talented and hard working dancers, people soon knew that there was a new bhangra team in the market!

The YPP troupe has been innovators in modern Bhangra with creative styles fused with traditional foundation. Its team of 16 active male and female dancers not only explore new bhangra techniques but also offer professional Giddha performances!

YPP has collaborated with other cultural dance troupes to showcase multi-ethnic performances. As a registered company with the National Arts Council, YPP are approved vendors in conducting bhangra related programmes for schools.

In the last 8 years, their hard work has paid off with a resume of community, national and international event performances.They even got through to the quarter-finals of the Asia’s Got Talent!

Youth Olympic Games opening and closing
World Model United Nations Singapore
Vesakhi Mela celebration
Indian New Year celebration
Utsav festival
Tamil Marasu 75th anniversary
HeritageFest
Orange Ribbon Walk
IBO Bhangra night @ NIE
Chua Chu Kang NDP Heartland celebrations
Bukit Timah 55th anniversary celebrations (Singapore Sikh Education Foundation)
Sinda Give project (Mediacorp Studios)
Charming School – Dream Beyond
AVA Food Safety Awards
Good Neighbour Award @ HDB
HRM Awards
Bank of Singapore Golf Tournament
New Year’s Party @ Marina Mandarin Hotel
International Cricket Council dinner and dance
Welcome of the JEWEL of MUSCAT @ Keppel bay
Kumar’s Amazing Race

The team has not broken stride in sharing our culture with the world. Check out their TV interview and performance and their magnificent showreel!

YPP is always looking for people to join their family. If you would like have a full experience of meeting new people, learning a dance form, traveling, teamwork and learning about punjabi culture, contact YPP at info@yppsingapore.com and start your journey. You can also follow them on the following:

Web: http://yaar-panj-aab-phangra-ypp-singapore.business.site/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/yaarpanjaab
Twitter: https://twitter.com/yaarpanjaab
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yaarpanjaab

14/02/2018 user Music, Performing Arts

Constellation Rising

Previously known as “The Firm”, Constellation Rising’s 5 band members started out playing gigs back in 2009 at Home Club, Yello Jello, St James Powerstation and made their way to Scape and Hard Rock Cafe. In 2011, they even qualified for Hard Rock Cafe’s Battle Of The Bands semi-finals!

Constellation Rising’s alternative metal music was influenced by guitarist Steve Vai and bands like Guns & Roses, Metallica and Slipknot, with Alter Bridge being their biggest influence.

With each band member writing their own bits of the music, the band’s guitarist, Shane Gill, exercised his creativity and wrote his own guitar parts.

The band had been recording and releasing songs despite having to juggle National Service and other commitments. “Beautiful It Hurts”, “Confessions”, “The Man I’ve Become” and “With You” had heavy rock tunes that would give anyone the urge to start headbanging in the middle of the street! But these guys knew how to turn heavy tunes into ballads as well! Check out the smooth acoustic version of With You!

Eventually, they recorded studio versions of their songs and even shared a behind-the-scenes video of them recording “We Will Rise”.

In 2012, the band was selected by Noise Singapore and given the chance to play on the Esplanade’s Waterfront Stage. Check out videos of their performances for “Time to Burn” and “Aura’s Lament”.

Photos taken from Constellation Rising facebook page

Over time, the band members had to attend to other matters like work and family and decided to end their successful run as a band.

If you would like to hear their work, check them out at ReverbNation, Soundcloud, Youtube, Facebook and Myspace.

11/02/2018 user Bhangra, Bhangra Groups in SG, Performing Arts

Jigri Yaar Bhangra Singapore

Jigri Yaar Bhangra is the pioneer bhangra company in Singapore. Formerly known as the NCO Club Boys, it was started by Mr Hardip Singh and Mr Dalbir Singh in 1984. The company thereafter to re-named Jigri Yaar which simply means “The Best of friends”. Check out a video of the performers from back then!

With the current 10 group members, Jigri Yaar performs a mixture of Singapore styled bhangra – ranging from modern to folk along with stunts and dhol drummers, and aim to keep the culture alive for all future generations and to ensure that we are able to preserve this vibrant dance form.

Jigri Yaar has been featured in a UK Publication – Bhangra; Mystics, Music and Migration written by University of Huddersfield, UK, researcher Hardeep Singh Sahota that explores bhangra past and present.

International Dance Festivals & Participations