Families take part in Punjabi folk dance contest

Image caption, Gureet Kaur, 11, said learning the traditional dance Giddha had helped her to know more about her culture
  • Author, Paul Shuttleworth
  • Role, 麻豆官网首页入口 Radio Shropshire

A national Punjabi dance contest for women has been taking place, with participants performing in a traditional folk style called Giddha.

The Giddha contest, that is taking place for the third year in a row, has been staged at the Mercure Telford Centre Hotel.

Teams of women and girls took part, with some singing live as well as dancing.

Gureet Kaur, aged 11, said learning Giddha had helped her to 鈥渒now where you鈥檝e come from, and your ancestors鈥.

Image caption, Gureet Kaur, centre left, and Jasmeet Kaur, centre right, had travelled from Rugby with their mothers to take part

Gureet, her 12-year-old friend Jasmeet Kaur, and their mothers, had travelled from Rugby in Warwickshire and they all took part in the event.

Jasmeet told 麻豆官网首页入口 Radio Shropshire they had 鈥減ractised a lot鈥 in the lead-up to their performances.

Image caption, Noorzora, who uses a stage name, was one of the contest鈥檚 five judges

The girls鈥 mothers said they felt very proud watching their daughters on stage.

Amandeep Kaur, Gureet鈥檚 mother, added it was important to her that her children kept 鈥渋n touch with their roots鈥 in Indian culture.

Noorzora, who uses a stage name and was one of the contest鈥檚 five judges, said: 鈥淚鈥檓 very happy to see this new generation, to [promote] the Punjabi culture in this country.鈥

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