Veils of Bollywood celebrates Indian heritage in Montreal

The Veils of Bollywood dance troupe celebrates Indian culture in Montreal.

A group of Montrealers is spotlighting Asian heritage through Bollywood dance.

It started as a passion for 35-year-old Rameez Karim and it’s since become a key part of his life’s work.

“I feel that dance is a really important tool to start conversations,” said Karim.

He first hit the dance floor when he was five.

A flare for creative style and storytelling led the Montrealer to performances at community events and professional companies.

Karim founded his own dance company, Veils of Bollywood, in 2019.

“We are really trying to push the boundaries of different artforms coming together, bridging different cultures together, having this type of intercultural exchange, which I find is really, really important - especially at a time like now,” said Karim.

In the middle of Asian Heritage Month, he says India is an essential part of Asia that is sometimes forgotten.

Karim welcomes each rehearsal at Studio Bizz as a moment to celebrate his heritage with the community.

One treasured moment is the “namaskaram” salutation, which he performs with his dancers at the beginning and end of each practice.

“At one point we touch the ground because Indian dance is very much connected to the earth and to nature,” he said. “So because we dance barefoot, we’re striking the ground with our feet and we are conscious of this and we’re asking the planet, actually if we can dance on her.”

Simran Kaur, 33, has been dancing with Veils of Bollywood since day one. For her, the idea of asking for permission has another significance.

“It’s really important because a lot of the women in my culture, in my background, didn’t have the permission and the privilege to be able to dance this freely, this liberated,” she said. “It’s not just a dance for me, but it’s a way to honor all of those women and let them come and dance through me as a as a celebration, as a moment of joy.”

There’s much joy to be had as the troupe of twelve prepares for a residency at Maison de la Culture in July.

They hope their show, “Dreams of Bollywood,” will help turn up the music on the cultural conversation.