Bustling Bollywood Dance
Flier for the Bollywood Dance (from @whscricket insta)
The Bollywood Dance at Wheeler is the next upcoming large dance before prom in May. Arranged completely by the Boy’s Cricket Team, a lot of questions have been raised regarding what exactly this event is and how it is significant to the team and the Indian population at Wheeler High School.
Bollywood is the music and film industry in India in Mumbai. The majority language for this film group is Hindi/Urdu. Although the meaning of Bollywood is Hindi music/films, the term is used in America to comprise all of the Indian languages, just as it is being done for the Bollywood Dance. The Bollywood Dance will most likely have music from all the various languages in India, and also contain culture from all the different parts. As Wheeler contains a very large Indian community such as with ICA and within the Boy’s Cricket Team, this event is very important to the students hoping to connect with their cultures at Wheeler. Mohnish Mara (12), a player on the cricket team said, “It’s a fun chance for the brown student body to display and enjoy their own cultures.”
The students at Wheeler also seem to be really excited about this event. Rithu Hegde (12) expressed her excitement about the event saying, “last year’s dance was so fun! We got to listen to music I grew up listening to at home and eat awesome food.” When asked about how this event would impact the students at Wheeler, Annika Mehta (12), said, “I think it’s really important for people to be able to connect with their cultures and be a part of the community, and I believe that’s exactly what events like the Bollywood dance are doing.”
The Bollywood dance will be taking place on April 22nd from 7-10 in the cafeteria. The recommended attire for the dance is Indian clothes such as lehengas, salwars, and kurthas. The dance is open to both Wheeler and non-Wheeler students, so Wheeler students can bring in friends if needed. Just like last year, there will be music for students to dance to, cultural foods for people to try, places set up to take pictures, and so much more. David Kan (12), who went to the dance last year, said, “The dance is exactly like an Indian version of prom. I borrowed Indian clothes from my friends and had a really great time there.”
What exactly is the point of the dance and who are the funds from the tickets helping out? According to Varish (12), a player on the Cricket Team, the ticket is not only an opportunity to have a good time, but it’s also really helping out the Cricket Team. He continued that through the money they would receive by organizing this event and having a great turn out, they would be able to not only raise funds for the team’s future, but also buy equipment and go and play in future tournaments. The team wanted to emphasize that in return for the ticket they would assure a great environment and a great time for anyone attending the event.
Students wishing to attend the dance can buy their tickets online on my payments plus. The ticket prices for the dance are 10 dollars to attend an event that is very important to the Cricket Team, and is sure to be a great time. Students who need additional information about this event should look for news on the Wheeler Cricket Instagram page, @whscricket, or speak to the Captain of the team, Mohnish Mara. Students should definitely attend the dance and take the time to appreciate a culture that is important to many of the Wheeler students.
Shreya Khanna is a senior, and this is her second year of journalism. Shreya likes to take journalism classes because she wants to be able to share important...