Bollywood Canadian professional dancer Shereen Ladha just choreographed “Maafi,” an incredible dance cover of Justin Bieber’s “Sorry.”
Her dance crew was on-point with every turn and every move, sprinkling a bit of "desi" into the video and making it far from your typical remix version of a contemporary musical number.
Choreographing incredible moves for music videos and dance competitions is a skill that Shereen has mastered, but she takes it to the next level by bringing together Bieber and Bollywood. Bollywood originated in India and Justin Bieber is Canadian, but they’re both taking over the globe! Music and dance transcend borders and sometimes even cultures. When creativity explores a culture it helps an audience learn something new. Making new discoveries is essential to being a member of the global community and sometimes that means learning how to dance in a new way to some catchy beats. Shareen and other artists are using their creative talents to show the world how to celebrate a hybrid of cultures.
Yes, Bieber’s “Sorry” is already wildly popular and its beats and dance moves have made it one of the best hits of 2015 But a sprinkle of Bollywood makes it that much better!
The song was remixed by J Raj Music, who added a little “desi” pop to the song. The dancers moves draw on styles such as Bhangra and Bharatanatyam and contemporary hip-hop. The outfits featured in the video allow the audience to take a peek at Indian culture as they are inspired by South Asian street fashion and Bollywood cinema. Ultimately, the piece is a great example of “cultural exchange.”
The term “desi” refers to people, things, and the culture in the subcontinent of India. It also includes areas in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. It is common for Indian, Pakistani, and Bengali individuals to identify others within the same desi culture with this term.
Shereen has her own youtube channel, Dance With SL, full of choreography that will blow your mind, and even some tutorial videos that will teach you how to dance some neat Bollywood dance moves.
Watch the video above and take a step into the Bollywood world, Bieber style.