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Women and the Dance Floor
A book about bhangra that ignores women is telling half a story.
Giddha and the idea of "not for women"
Punjab has a rich tradition of women's song and dance, most famously giddha, with its clapping, quick-witted verses and lively storytelling. Women sang, danced and joked together at weddings, festivals and gatherings, often in spaces men did not enter. Giddha is not a lesser or softer cousin of bhangra. It is its own tradition with its own mastery.
In many accounts, bhangra was a men's dance, danced by men in public, with women's dancing happening in separate settings. The idea that it was "not for women" is repeated often, though like most such generalisations it was never universal, and it varied by place, family and period.
Taking up space
In the diaspora, this changed. Young women in Britain, Canada and the United States joined university bhangra teams, formed their own teams, entered competitions and, over time, became leading performers, choreographers and teachers. Published accounts note the rise of all-women competitions, though sources disagree on which was first, which is a useful reminder that the history is still being written.
For many women, taking part in bhangra was an act of claiming something that had been presented as not theirs. For fitness classes, which are mostly attended by women, the implication is large: the largest audience for bhangra-inspired exercise today may be exactly the group that tradition kept at the edges.
What this means in a class
Treat it as an inheritance for everyone. Introduce giddha alongside bhangra, so the room understands that Punjabi dance includes women's traditions. Credit women artists, singers and teachers by name. And watch your language: phrases like "the masculine power of bhangra" or "the feminine grace of giddha" can reinforce the very boundaries that many women have worked to cross.
And men
The other side matters too. Many men are nervous about dancing in a room full of strangers. A class that treats movement as celebration, rather than performance, makes space for them. The idea that bhangra is joy first and technique second is probably the most welcoming message you can offer.