Aaja Nachle, UTD’s very first Bollywood Fusion Competition, lived up to its namesake by making everyone that came want to dance! The stage was set to impress. Eight teams from across the nation brought high energy, cardio pumped dances to themes that no one could have imagined! From Harry Houdini and Mary Kom to LGBTQ awareness and saving the planet, the themes were very unique and presented with the dramatic flare seen in Bollywood. The Eisemann Center hosted the audience with professional and punctual staff, creating the ideal scene for the competition. In between the competing teams’ performances, UTD’s very own showcased their talent in the two rocking exhibition acts of UTD TaRaas and the musical act for the night, AC Desi.

Between acts, several audience members congregated and gave feedback on the overall execution of the competition, who their favorite acts were, and their thoughts on the music. This really gave the event a more personal touch as students from UTD and other universities truly participated to the fullest extent in making the night the success that it was. Apart from the slightly irked vibes regarding the non-concessional ticket rates, most of the attendees looked like they had a fun time.

In terms of defining “Bollywood Fusion”, many people we talked to during intermission and at the end of the show expressed it to be a “true representation of the generation of Indian Americans today” (Jenny S.), mixing “Top 40” music with the latest or classics of Indian Cinema. Fusing both the West and the East in terms of the backbeat and harmonics, all the team mixes were superb and connected greatly with the storylines for each performance. Transitions from one song to another as the acts progressed were very smooth, so kudos to the DJs that arranged these mixes! “From Hip Hop to Contemporary to Classical” (Sneha K.), the music set the perfect scene for dancing and gave a “broad scope for enjoyment for both the performers and the audience” (Aishu R.). The night culminated with Tamasha: The Official Aaja Nachle Afterparty hosted by UTD’s Delta Epsilon Psi brothers with music by DJ Anu.

Aaja Nachle has a lot of potential to become a highly recognized Bollywood Fusion competition in the near future. From the venue to the mixtape by DJ BANED, guDJu bhai, and Dr. Srimix to the team lineup, Aaja Nachle can’t go anywhere but up from here. With a little more organization, publicity, and planning, this competition can reach Bollywood America Bid level and create a UTD legacy that all Comets can be proud of!

Aaja Nachle Mixtape: https://soundcloud.com/banedmusic/aaja-nachle-2016-official-mixtape

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