On Thursday, the 3rd of April, the Indian Culture Group of Waitākere College competed in the Polyfest Diversity stage. The group had spent the past Term practising 2-3 times per week to master the dance. The dance was a mix of both traditional and modern Bollywood, from various parts of India, honouring the theme of legacy.

Our performance begins with a traditional Indian dance to Apsara Aali, a song that honours the ancient classical dance forms, reflecting the graceful and timeless cultural heritage passed down through generations. We then transition into a Garba, a folk dance from Gujarat. This vibrant and rhythmic dance celebrates the joy of community and the enduring tradition of regional festivals, a beautiful representation of how culture is shared and kept alive. 

Our third piece is a high-energy Bhangra, which brings a modern twist to traditional Punjabi dance, showing how cultural expressions can evolve while still staying rooted in their legacy. 

We conclude with a famous Bollywood song that blends contemporary Bollywood style with the storytelling tradition of Indian cinema, illustrating how the past continues to inspire and shape the present.

Each dance in our performance reflects a different facet of India’s cultural legacy, and together they show how these traditions are passed down, celebrated, and adapted through the generations. This process has taught us the importance of teamwork and respect for our heritage, and how we each contribute to preserving and honouring the cultural treasures of the past while making them our own.

Every element of our performance was proudly student-led, from the vibrant costumes to the intricate choreography. This incredible journey was guided by the dedication of our student leaders, Esha Ram and Parisha Kumar.

A special thank you goes to our lead choreographers, Parisha Kumar and Hasti Pandya, whose creativity, perseverance, and countless hours of preparation were instrumental to our success. Their passion set the tone for the entire group and inspired us all to push beyond our limits.

Each dancer brought their unique energy and commitment to the stage, and it’s that collective effort that truly made our performance shine. We are deeply grateful to everyone who gave their best - we couldn’t have done it without you. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors. A heartfelt thank you to Henderson Cars Ltd (Mahindra Cars) and Harcourts New Lynn for believing in us and making this opportunity a reality.

Names of Dancers: Parisha Kumar, Hasti Pandya, Esha Ram, Prachi Kumar, Aiza Saleem, Bhumi Yadav, Dhruvi Patel, Dhavnn Naiker, Dilru Chandraratne, Drishti Ram, Dristi Naiker, Gargee Joshi, Jesmi Jai, Joevelle Aiyer, Kim Khov, Kirti Prasad, Nimisha Nand, Nisa McCarthy, Paras Patel, Rivindee Udugala, Shreya Prasad, Vanshika Swamy, Zia Prajapati

By: Esha Ram