New Delhi: Americans and bhangra? Don't be surprised for the two really gel well!

Thanks to the efforts of a young Punjabi attorney in San Francisco, hundreds of young Americans are dancing to the beats of bhangra, a form of dance, which mixes traditional Indian folk music with rhythms.

"People love bhangra music in America. It is now being used by many popular singers and dancers in America. San Francisco is one of the most diverse places in California where people are really open to learning new culture, so there is great deal of interest in bhangra here since I started teaching it," Vicki Virk, who teaches bhangra, said.

"There is a huge Punjabi population in the Bay Area. There are around 2,00,000 Indians in this area, and a majority of them are Punjabis. My students are mixed. They are both Indians and non-Indians," says Virk, an attorney by profession.

Besides teaching bhangra, Virk has also started her own group "Dholrhythms", which does fundraisers in America, besides doing many other events to promote Punjabi culture.

"All the dancers in my troupe are my students. And majority of them are not Indians. They love performing with me because they get to learn a really festive and positive part about our culture," says Virk.

With a large number of people having migrated from Punjab to England and China, the contemporary bhangra has become a synergistic blend of its traditional origins and contemporary musical styles ranging from reggae, techno to rap, she says.

Despite the fact that bhangra still remains undefined, the form lures the young and the old alike, says Virk.

"Bhangra is a celebration of life. It's done with energy, zest, enthusiasm and passion, and that's exactly how life should be lived," says Virk.

Born and raised in Punjab, Virk migrated to United States at the age of 12. Though an attorney with membership to the State Bar of California, Vicki's passion and love has always been dancing.

"I wanted to bring my passion and educational background together and do something that makes a difference. Music is a universal form of communication and could be one of the best means to break racial and cultural boundaries," says Virk.

"I want Dholrhythms to be an outlet for people to express themselves freely in an open and fun atmosphere. I also think dancing is the most enjoyable form of fitness. So Dholrhythms was created to keep young people in shape," she says.