EOI Now Open 26 September 2026 Bunjil Place · Melbourne EOI Closes 12 June 2026 Junior & Senior Categories EOI Now Open 26 September 2026 Bunjil Place · Melbourne EOI Closes 12 June 2026 Junior & Senior Categories
Bhangra dancers

Bhangra Down Under twenty twenty six — Australia's leading Bhangra competition since two thousand thirteen — proudly hosting teams from across Australia, New Zealand and beyond — Junior and Senior categories in Music, Pre-Recorded Dhol, and the demanding Live Dhol traditional format — Saturday twenty six September at Bunjil Place Melbourne — EOI Now Open — closing twelfth June twenty twenty six — bring your energy, your boli, your pride — Bhangra Down Under —

Bhangra Down Under twenty twenty six — Australia's leading Bhangra competition since two thousand thirteen — proudly hosting teams from across Australia, New Zealand and beyond — Junior and Senior categories in Music, Pre-Recorded Dhol, and the demanding Live Dhol traditional format — Saturday twenty six September at Bunjil Place Melbourne — EOI Now Open — closing twelfth June twenty twenty six — bring your energy, your boli, your pride — Bhangra Down Under —

Bhangra Down Under twenty twenty six — Australia's leading Bhangra competition since two thousand thirteen — proudly hosting teams from across Australia, New Zealand and beyond — Junior and Senior categories in Music, Pre-Recorded Dhol, and the demanding Live Dhol traditional format — Saturday twenty six September at Bunjil Place Melbourne — EOI Now Open — closing twelfth June twenty twenty six — bring your energy, your boli, your pride — Bhangra Down Under —

Expressions of Interest · Now Open

Bhangra Down under

Australia's premier Bhangra competition, returning for 2026.

Date
26 Sept 2026
Venue
Bunjil Place
City
Melbourne
EOI Closes
12 Jun 2026
Submit EOI→ Explore categories
A bit about us
2013
The year it all began

Bhangra Down Under has been Australia's leading Bhangra competition since 2013, proudly showcasing the spirit, energy, and tradition of Punjabi culture.

As the only Bhangra event in the country to host teams from over five international nations, BDU has played a pivotal role in putting the Australian and New Zealand Bhangra circuit on the global stage. What began with a small number of passionate teams has grown into a thriving community that continues to expand year after year — and we're honoured to have grown alongside it.

At its heart, BDU is about more than performance. It's about connecting communities through art and dance, and proudly promoting Punjabi boli and Punjabi culture to audiences across Australia and around the world.

Stages graced by
Satinder SartaajKulwinder BillaHarsimranGagan KokriMalkit SinghPammi BaiL-Fresh The LionJass
The Categories

Four
categories.
one stage.

Each category has its own rubric, its own demands, and its own kind of magic. Pick the one that fits your team — or enter more than one. Selected teams receive a full audition & registration package after EOI.

01

Junior
Music

Ages 7–15

A choreographed Bhangra performance set to a pre-produced music track — typically a Punjabi song or instrumental piece with the dhol mixed into the recording. The team performs to the music as it plays through the venue sound system.

Teams may have dhol and chimta players standing at the front of the stage as part of the visual presentation; however, the performance will be judged on the music track and the rubric only. Live dhol or chimta played on stage is for visual effect and will not factor into the judging.

02

Junior
Pre-Recorded
Dhol

Ages 7–15

A traditional Bhangra performance set to a pre-recorded dhol track as the rhythmic backbone — no full songs, no music mix, no melody track. The dhol carries the beat throughout.

In keeping with the high performance standards BDU is committed to upholding, teams are permitted to bring live accompanying musicians on stage alongside the pre-recorded dhol:

  • Live singer / vocalist performing traditional Bhangra boliyan
  • Live tumbi — single-stringed instrument
  • Live chimta — metal tong percussion
  • Live algoza / jori — twin flute
  • Live sarangi / sirangi — bowed string instrument

Live dhol is not permitted — that's what separates this from the Senior Live category. The dhol must come from the pre-recorded track. Everything else can be performed live to bring genuine traditional flavour to the performance.

03

Senior
Music

Ages 16+

The senior version of the Music category. Teams perform to a single pre-produced music track (audio or video) selected according to the rubric. Teams must submit clean, final versions by the required deadline. No changes will be accepted after submission.

As with Junior Music, teams may have dhol and chimta players standing at the front of the stage as part of the visual presentation, but the performance will be judged on the music track and the rubric only.

04

Senior
Live Dhol

Ages 16+
Strictly No Pre-Recorded

The most traditional and demanding category. Teams perform to a fully live ensemble drumming and playing in real time on or beside the stage — typically a live dhol player, a live singer, and 3–4 live instrumentalists on tumbi, chimta, algoza, sarangi, and similar traditional Punjabi instruments.

There is no pre-recorded dhol, no backing track, no music — nothing recorded at all. The team must synchronise their entire choreography to live musicians performing in the moment, making this the purest expression of Bhangra and the toughest category to execute.

Age Eligibility

How the
brackets work

Eligibility is determined by how old each participant is on the day of the event — 26 September 2026.

7–15
Junior Categories
Music & Pre-Recorded Dhol
16+
Senior Categories
Music & Live Dhol

If a participant turns 16 on 27 September 2026 — one day after the event — they are still considered 15 on event day and must register under the Junior category. They cannot move up to Seniors until their 16th birthday has passed.

Mixed-age teams are not permitted. Every member of the team must fall within the age bracket of the category they are entering.
Audition Process

Music
categories only

Teams entering either Junior Music or Senior Music must submit an audition video as part of their registration.

The audition is your team's first impression — it's how the panel sees your synchronisation, energy, and technical ability before competition day.

Audition videos are not required for the Pre-Recorded Dhol or Live Dhol categories — selection for those will be handled separately as outlined in the registration pack.
1
A 2-minute audition track will be provided by the organisers to all teams entering the music categories.
2
Teams must choreograph and record an audition video to this track.
3
The video must clearly show a minimum of 8 participants performing together.
4
Submit by the closing entry date — full details in the registration pack.
Team Entry Rules

One per category.
with one exception.

01

The Default

One team per category is permitted per organisation, group, or academy.

02

Single-Gender Exception

An organisation may enter two teams in the same category if one is all-boys and the other is all-girls.

03

Mixed-Gender Teams

If you enter a mixed (boys + girls) team, you're limited to one team only in that category. You cannot combine a mixed team with a single-gender team.

In Practice
✓

Academy A enters an all-boys senior music team AND an all-girls senior music team.

✕

Academy A enters a mixed senior music team AND an all-boys senior music team. — Pick one.

The official
poster

Bhangra Down Under 2026 official poster
Read Before Registering

The fine print

01
A compulsory non-refundable registration fee is required to participate in any category.
02
Teams registering in multiple categories must pay a separate registration fee for each category entered.
03
Fees are only refunded if a category is cancelled or if the event itself is cancelled by the organisers.
04
If a category does not reach the required minimum number of teams, the organisers reserve the right to cancel it.
05
All selected teams will be required to submit a short video as part of their registration pack.
06
All participants must fall within the eligible age bracket as at 26 September 2026.
07
All choreography must comply with the event's safety, performance, and content guidelines. Explicit, unsafe, or offensive content will not be accepted.
08
Teams must comply with all rules and security protocols set by the event organisers and Bunjil Place.
09
No late entries, last-minute substitutions, or withdrawals without prior written approval from the organisers.
10
All participants (or parent/guardian if under 18) must complete and submit the Consent & Media Release Form prior to the event.
11
Any behaviour deemed unsportsmanlike, disrespectful, or unsafe will result in immediate disqualification.
12
EOI form must be completed by 12 June 2026. No exceptions.

Ready to bring it.

Submit your Expression of Interest before 12 June 2026. Selected teams will receive the full audition and registration package.

Submit EOI →

Got
questions?

Reach out — we're happy to help. We also welcome suggestions, but only those that genuinely enhance the competition will be considered.

Instagram
@bhangradownunder
Facebook
@bhangradownunder
WhatsApp · Tanveer Bedi
+61 416 660 003