There are no cultural boundaries to Bollywood. The audience at the Centre for the Arts, Brock University, St Catharines had a tatse of Bollywood music and dance in a thrilling performance by Sanskriti Arts Ensemble.

The audience clapped, danced and sang along to familiar Bollywood tunes during the “Bollywood in Niagara” presentation of the Niagara Hindu Samaj. Puja Amin,who formed the Sanskriti Dance and Yoga Centre shortly on arrival from Mumbai India in 2003 choreographed the show to the delight of the mixed audience.

She told Mosaic Edition in a backstage interview that the stakes in Bollywood music and dance had been raised since the screening of the “Slumdog Millionaire.” Bollywood in Niagara featured various routines including Mehfil, Bollywood Mesala, Golden Girls, Bhangra Blast and a fashion show.

Vikas Khana appeared as a guest artist performing Love in Bollywood. Vikas Khana who came to Canada 8 years ago advised anyone interested in experiencing Bollywood to first visit an Indian restaurant to enjoy the food and probably watch a Bollywood act on their television screen.

Puja’s choreography has won many awards, including a gold championship from the international dances challenge in Toronto, where she received the ‘Inside Out’ prize.

Puja is currently working on an upcoming venture to help promote South Asian culture in Canada on a mainstream platform. Bollywood in Niagara was staged in partnership with the Centre for the Arts, Brock University with the support of the city of St. Catharines.

The president of Niagara Hindu Samaj Kamlesh Sharma expressed her thanks to all the volunteers and sponsors.

(Story and photo by Edward Akinwunmi)