The third edition of the event will feature eight teams.
By Sreekanth A. Nair
The grace and beauty of the Garba-Raas dance will be back in the Baltimore area with the third edition of Charm City Raas, which will be held at the Kraushaar Auditorium of Goucher College in Towson, MD, on March 12. The competition, hosted by the alumni of the University of Maryland Baltimore County Raascals, is one of the premier South Asian dance competition in the area. Garba-Raas is a cultural folk dance from the Indian state of Gujarat.
“We have eight teams coming from all over the country and they have prepared incredible performances,†said Shilp Raj, one of the directors of the Charm City Raas executive Board. “After a whole year of planning and hard work, the executive board is very excited to host Charm City Raas for the third year in a row.â€
Raj, who sang a hit song for the blockbuster movie Ennu Ninte Moideen, added: “We also have exhibition acts like Chai-Town performing so be sure to come!â€
The event will bring together collegiate Garba-Raas teams from all over the nation to educate the community-at-large about the richness and beauty of unique cultures by entertaining a constructive spirit of competition, good sportsmanship, positive attitudes, and creativity, according to a release from the  to the organizers.
The eight teams selected from collegiate Garba-Raas groups from all over the nation will compete for each other and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes will be awarded to the teams of the highest caliber.
“The eight selected teams will compete against one another in a healthy, positive atmosphere aiming to raise the bar of creativity and originality in Garba-Raas to elevate the art form and inspire others to value culture by showing how much they value it themselves,†the organizers said.
The event will donate a portion of the proceeds from the event to The Lucknow Project, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing education initiative.
“We believe in their commitment to giving children their lives back so that they will never be denied the chance to learn and grow in the American Melting Pot,†said the organizers.
The mission of Charm City Raas is to provide a vibrant, enriching, competitive and fun setting for the propagation and elevation of Indian culture through the art of Garba-Raas, and to inspire the youth of Indian community to embrace the wonderful cultures that collectively provide the community with a sense of unity and identity.
Drawing wide attention from the South-Asian community across the country, former editions of the event have witnessed huge participation.