Stage lights shine on a group of students prepared in formations, positioning for the start of a routine. The audience is enraptured with the colorful, vibrant outfits being worn by the performers. Then, the music starts and the group breaks out into dance, showcasing the visual flair of Indian bollywood dance infused with popular Western music.
Om Shanti is the University of Arizona’s coed Bollywood and hip-hop fusion dance team that creates vibrant dances with popular Indian sounds. The team is composed of 31 members including seven board members.
“We combine all of these different styles and make one dance piece to show our love for our culture,” said Reva Joshi, a lead captain of Om Shanti. “It’s super colorful, super loud, and it’s very touching for everyone.”
Om Shanti started in 2014, then paused in 2016. After a long hiatus, the group started back up in 2020 under the leadership of two former members.
“The team was kind of built up from the ground again, and it also built this small family that wants to be fun and competitive with dance,” Joshi said.
The group uses music from different regions of India, from Bollywood to Kuumba. Om Shanti also blends Indian styles with Western music to create energetic pieces for a larger audience, Joshi said.
The team’s dances are planned by the team’s four dance captains. When one hears a song they believe best fits the team, they bring it to the group and brainstorm what dance moves and formations to include.
“We form our dances that can be used in a competition setting,” said Parami De Silva, also a lead captain. “We play with dances that haven’t been seen before and think of what is new or fresh to our culture.”
Om Shanti participates in a wide variety of competitions and performances, including the National Desi Dance League and Tucson Meet Yourself.
These opportunities help the group connect with other South Asian dance teams across the country and introduce the Indian dance to the general public.
“We actually placed in one of the competitions, and it gave us a lot of exposure. Other dance teams start to recognize who Om Shanti really is,” Joshi said. “Since most people here are not familiar with this specific culture, they start to get an appreciation for our music and style.”
Many of the dancers in Om Shanti joined the group to foster a stronger connection to their Indian roots and meet others who want a sense of belonging. And members have noticed a strong connection between dance and heritage.
”A majority of our team is first generation, so we wanted to find a group that loves Indian culture, especially in a non-Indian community,” said Darshana Sripathi, Om Shanti treasurer. “All of us share a passion for dance, and we want to tell that story to our audience.”
Anisha Gupta, another lead captain, said for a big university like the UA, it’s important to create connections with people who can share their love of dance and music.
“We have a lot of students from diverse backgrounds, so it’s special for us to share our culture and heritage with these pieces,” she said.
Om Shanti’s next performance will be at the Asian Pacific American Student Association’s Lotus Laureate on Saturday, May 10 at 2 p.m. at the Student Union Memorial Center’s Grand Ballroom.
To learn more about Om Shanti, visit their Instagram page at @uaomshanti.
Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.
