Bollywood Blast Enthralls Houstonians

By Natasha Naik

Just as every summer must come to an end, every summer must end with Bollywood Blast. This year professional dance company Rhythm India took the stage by storm with its 150 plus dancers and left the audience captivated. You may recognize Rhythm India from their performances at the Rockets half time shows (they are the first South Asian dance company to be awarded this honor) and from the numerous awards their instructor, Arzan Gonda has won.

The show took place this past Labor Day Sunday in the Outdoor Miller Theatre. where families enjoyed the outdoors and a fascinating show. The performance was an interesting medley of Indian cinema and live dance. A video following the struggles of Pappu learning how to dance was played on screen, and the video was punctuated with live dances. Almost 20 songs were used in this show, and dancers from every age group took part, from toddlers, to teenagers to moms. The show featured music and dances from different decades and eras, as well as different techniques and dance styles. Everything from Kathak to garba was featured.

Naomi Alphonso, one of Arzan’s dancers, was completely ecstatic at this incredible opportunity to perform. “We spent months and months preparing for this, the practices were several hours long, but in the end everything was perfect”. Thousands gathered to watch this show, and the audience reflected Houston’s diversity.

According to members from the dance team, this is not the last big show Arzan has planned. “There is much more in store for this fusion team” explained the Rhythm India team.

Photos by Navin Mediwala

Natasha Naik is currently a student at University of Houston studying public relations with a passion for charity. She has recently completed a missions trip in Haiti, working with the missionaries of charity. She also loves to travel along with her other hobbies like cooking, music, and trying hands on fashion.