The student news site of Bellaire High School

Three Penny Press
The student news site of Bellaire High School

Three Penny Press
The student news site of Bellaire High School

Three Penny Press
Categories:

Friendly battle, cultural celebration

Bollywood Club hosts annual dance competition in celebration of Holika
Angelina Tao and Audrey Li • May 2, 2026
Juniors Bollywood Club President Ishani Kaushik and Vice President Rishabh Thosani present flowers to Manjunath Chenneerappa, representing the Houston Consulate General of India. Chenneerappa was one of the event’s sponsors. (Angelina Tao)
Seniors and choreographers Suhani Sharma, Prapti Meshram and Pakhi Arora from Seven Lakes High School take a step during their “Ainvayi Ainvayi” segment. The dance move was inspired by bhangra, an energetic Indian folk dance. (Angelina Tao)
Senior and choreographer Yahvi Mohite from Carnegie Vanguard High School raises her arms to the song “Uyi Amma,” written by Amitabh Bhattacharya. Mohite danced alongside senior Angali Vempati and juniors Pooja Abraham, Neha Ravi and Maliha Arain. (Angelina Tao)
Sophomore Alaya Gaj does a Bollywood “trip” move during the bhangra dance. This was Gaj’s first year performing with Bollywood Club, and she was in all the dances performed by Bellaire. (Angelina Tao)
Junior Ishani Kaushik and sophomore Maahi Vaswani appear in the first row of formation during one of the bhangra-style dances. The dance was characterized by synchronous high-energy jumps and integrated hip-hop dance movements. (Audrey Li)
Maahi Vaswani poses at center stage during Bellaire Bollywood Club’s third dance. The choreography was an Indian hip-hop fusion to a mashup of “Titi Me Pregunto” by Bad Bunny and “Saki Saki” by Neha Kakkar. (Angelina Tao)
Juniors Ishani Kaushik and Bollywood Club choreographer Dhara Agrawal wave flags in the finale dance titled “India Waale.” Kaushik began planning this dance and the logistics for the Holika competition in October 2025 due to the lengthy preparation process that involved securing sponsorships, catering and dance teams from different high schools. (Angelina Tao)
Maahi Vaswani strikes a pose during the Bollywood Club finale dance. As a first-year officer, Vaswani choreographed, organized and led practices to prepare members for the performance. (Angelina Tao)
Junior and head choreographer Reshika Karnati (center) from Tompkins High School performs a bhangra-influenced hip-hop step to a mashup of mass songs. According to Karnati, mass songs are a Bollywood fusion dance with touches of hip-hop, bhangra, contemporary and other styles. (Angelina Tao)
Seniors and emcees Ada Arya and Ellie Zacharia sing a K-Pop Demon Hunters song during the intermission before K-Pop Club’s performance. This was the pair’s first time being emcees together at Holika. (Angelina Tao)
University of Houston students Alisha Daud and Arya Yadagiri from the school’s co-ed Bollywood fusion team, Houston Jannat, perform the dance style jhumar, a traditional Punjab rhythmic folk dance. The dancers are doing a dhamaal, a common step used in bhangra. (Angelina Tao)
The Seven Lakes High School team expresses shock as they are announced the winners of this year’s competition. This was the team’s third and final time competing in their high school careers. (Angelina Tao)

Story continues below advertisement
Donate to Three Penny Press
$1410
$3000
Contributed
Our Goal

Your donation will support the student journalists of Bellaire High School. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

More to Discover
More in A&E
Students circle around and hype up senior Emmerie Napier as she sings "Golden" by HUNTR/X. Napier has been in choir for four years and serves as the vice president of Concert Chorale and soprano two section leader.
'When we reach, we can fly'
After listening to the entire "Iceman" album, I rank it a mid-tier Drake album. The album was released on May 15, 2026. According to a recent TPP survey with more than 200 student responses, 59% were excited for the album, while 41% were not.
Frozen in repetition
Speak of the Devil
Speak of the Devil
Drunken noodles, a popular post-drinking meal intended to sober up the individual, are garnished with chili oil and lime. Our waiter recommended that we thoroughly mix the dish as the chili oil, the main contributor of spice, floated above the noodles.
Bringing the heat
Sophomore and Corporal Hailey Wong executes a floor during Varsity’s Jazz dance to “Burnin’ Up” on stage. “We had a lot of morning practices and after school rehearsals to prepare for the show,” Wong said. “In these practices we ran through every dance and re-spaced them to fit on the stage since we are usually dancing on gym floors.”
Where it all ignites
Pink lotus blossoms and beautiful lanterns decorate Hương Sen’s Interior. Its lush decor sets an enchanting energy for the meal ahead.
Blooming bites
The release of the movie increases both the memorabilia and the fanbase of the book. The movie came out on March 20th, 2026.
Rocky road to adaptation
All performers gather on stage for a final curtain call. BISA has been a Bellaire tradition since the early 1970s.
BISA Festival celebrates culture, diversity
More in Best of SNO
Varsity Red Bird Productions (RBP) members and juniors Audrey Lawrence and Sierra Little embrace each other while singing “End of the Line” from the musical “Theory of Relativity” by Neil Bartram. “Towards the end, I hoped we woke the audience up, got a few laughs and gave them joy,” Little said. “I hope they walked away thinking that was a funny show.”
Talents unveiled
Krishnan displays the Team USA jacket, awarded to her at the Pan American Intercollegiate Chess Championship in Chicago. Rows of trophies lined the wall behind her, symbolizing her dedication to chess.
Making her Move
I enjoy a summer afternoon at Barnes & Noble with my older siblings in the children’s area. In elementary school, my idea of a perfect day was getting lost in those shelves.
America fails its youngest learners
Just minutes before the 300-meter hurdles, McTear shares last-minute advice on how to attack the curve while maintaining momentum. On Feb. 27, the girls track team competed at the LCISD meet in Rosenberg, Texas, earning three relay golds and two individual titles.
Running in memory, coaching in motion
Mendieta stands dressed in the official JROTC uniform. Uniforms within the program were decided through promotion tests and the rank of an individual.
'The face of JROTC’
Baltus Van Tassel, played by junior Davis Adams, describes to senior Aiden Gross in the role of Ichabod Crane the haunting past which the town holds. Tassel told Crane about the German spirit who was killed at a tree down the path to his house and now haunted the town.
A headless hunt for the top
Junior Cadence Johnson poses during an official visit at the University of California, Los Angeles. "My state swims helped improve my overall ranking in my recruiting class and allowed me to receive a better scholarship offer from UCLA," Johnson said.
Bruin a big dream
Nguyen practices administering intranasal narcan, a drug to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses, to Wargo. According to Nguyen, “patients tend to become very aggressive as the drug ruins their high.”
No syllabus for sirens
More in News
A backpack is on a desk with books laid around it. The one-bag policy has been in effect for a month.
Seeing through safety
Sophomore Yousany Keyklyn Grenot points toward the audience while performing. Grenot sang “Just the Two Of Us” by Bill Withers, Ralph MacDonald and William Salter and “Shallow” by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt.
Bellaire takes stage
Junior Iris Yeh sings along to “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga. This was the final song in the lineup for that day.
Viva la Vida: long live life, long live karaoke!
Senior Juliette Nahman encourages the security officer, played by Junior Francisco Ochoa-Medina after he stood up to their boss. This is Nahman’s last year participating in Brown Bags before going to college.
Director’s cut
Members of Mock Trial Club hold up their letters of encouragement that will be delivered to prison inmates. A total of 19 letters were written and will be delivered via mail.
'I hope my letter changed a person'
Horn demonstrates a move during the dance. Twirling Club will perform to the song "Beat It" by Michael Jackson at the Houston NAMIWalks walkathon.
Twirling Club prepares to perform for Houston Mayor's Youth Council event
The League of Women Voters of Houston (LWV) and the county clerk hosted voter registration and a voter education presentation in the auditorium on May 6 for the upcoming midterm election on Nov. 3.
Students register to vote as midterm elections ramp up
On-Level Chemistry teacher Akintunde Odunleye floats side by side in the pool with a student. Coach O's team fell short to the students at the end of the fourth quarter.
Playing with the upper hand
About the Contributors
Angelina Tao
Angelina Tao, Reporter
Angelina is a sophomore and first-year staffer. She hopes to voice the student body of Bellaire High School through a broad range of journalism fields, from opinion writing to photography. Outside of TPP, Angelina is the historian of the Chinese Club and the Public Relations Chair of the Study of Life Club. In her spare time, she enjoys writing and exploring the outdoors by biking or taking her three dogs out for fun adventures.
Audrey Li
Audrey Li, Reporter
Audrey Li is a sophomore and excited to be a first-year reporter for TPP. She joined the staff to expand on her interests in writing and photography, get plugged into the school community, and build valuable social and journalistic skills. Outside of class, she is an officer for the Red Cross Club, Study of Life Club, Physics club, and is a member of the Bellaire Debate Team. Her hobbies include baking, shopping, reading, and practicing martial arts. She is always down to grab a matcha and hang out!
Donate to Three Penny Press
$1410
$3000
Contributed
Our Goal