This story was originally published on April 23rd in The Daily Pennsylvanian.
Writer: Ananya Karthik
Penn Dhamaka won the Desi Dance Network national circuit last weekend, marking the first time the University’s all-male South Asian fusion dance team has secured the title.
The April 18 victory capped a season of consistent first- and second-place titles for Dhamaka. The national circuit was hosted by DDN Inc., a platform founded in 2014 to support South Asian performing arts through competitions and conventions.
For Dhamaka members, the win represents a culmination of long-term planning amid a highly competitive national landscape.
“It’s something we’ve all dreamed about,” College senior and Dhamaka co-captain Krishna Khawani told The Daily Pennsylvanian, describing the win as “the highest level of achievement that you can get in South Asian competitive dance.”
The DDN circuit operates through a season-long structure. According to College sophomore Aditya Bala, teams first submit audition videos to individual competitions. Each competition typically selects around eight teams to advance, ranking each based on performance.