The Zinda Fusion Dance Team is breaking barriers.

Syracuse University’s Zinda Fusion is a team of dancers that maintains a base of Indian Bollywood music and dance. They then combine that with other genres like hip-hop, Latin, modern and classical music. Zinda means “alive” or “lively,” which the team certainly demonstrates with its energetic and diverse members, performances and ambitions.

On Saturday, Zinda Fusion will perform at the New York India Festival at the New York State Fairgrounds. This event is the largest Indian cultural festival in the state, showcasing and celebrating Indian food, décor, art, music, dance and more. There will even be a wedding booth where visitors can dress up as traditional Indian brides or grooms and take pictures.

Zinda Fusion will be performing a traditional, Indian-style dance inside the Horticulture building at 12:20 p.m.

“Just wanting to be there” is all it takes to be a part of Zinda Fusion, said Khamini Harinarain, a choreographer and junior civil engineering major.

The only prerequisite to join is passion, so the group welcomes members from a broad range of backgrounds. Dance skill levels among members range from little, none to years of experience. The dance team’s goal is to craft the most enjoyable performances possible for spectators, so planning always starts with the future audience in mind, whether it’s predominantly students, the local community or an Indian audience.

Next, team leaders cut and edit the music they want for the routine, then work with the dancers to choreograph unique moves. The team — composed of 16 members — practices three times a week on campus. The members truly collaborate, feeding off of each others’ ideas, experimenting with fusion and, most importantly, pushing each other to make it all work.

“Practices give me a reason to get out of bed on the weekends and are fun and effective exercise,” said dancer and choreographer Shefali Haldar, a senior information management and technology and biology major.

Since its founding in 2006, Zinda Fusion has emerged as an involved and fun team. It brings a taste of home to campus for students from India while illuminating a sense of the country and its adaptability to all areas of life and art.

“It’s our little family,” said Haldar, a four-year member.

Starting out as a club supported almost solely by the SU Department of Recreation Services, Zinda Fusion has started to gain support from its members. Additionally, recognition from both the school and local communities has inspired members of the team to think bigger and bolder. This year, they are planning more public and private performances, in addition to several competitive events, both in and out of the state.

Along with this weekend’s India festival, Zinda Fusion’s agenda also includes the upcoming DanceWorks Homecoming Showcase on Oct. 4, an event featuring many of the unique dance teams on campus. The event theme is “Around the World” and Zinda Fusion will represent Morocco. This event provides an opportunity to experience and support the extensive dance culture at Syracuse University.

The members of Zinda Fusion said they hope to accomplish something big this year. Their goal is to continue breaking the barriers of dance, music and culture through an explorative, open approach to the capabilities of a diverse dance team and globalized society.

Published on September 25, 2013 at 9:12 pm

Contact Kalia: kzbarrow@syr.edu