Lifestyle

Stringing Emotions & Experiences Together with a Click – Varender Singh, a Photographer with a Unique Perspective

Published

5 years ago

August 27, 2020

How a child views the world is entirely different from how a teenager observes the world. Similarly, the way a teenager looks at things differs from how an adult views them. It is all about perspectives. Every individual develops a unique understanding and view of the world with time. Each person looks at the things that surround them differently, and it is close to impossible for a person to share their perspective with others.

Sometimes, the difference in perspectives leads to arguments that turn into fights and divide the world into different sects. One such example is that of the number 9, where a person at one end perceives the digit as nine while the person who is sitting across, perceives it as 6. Making a person see another individual’s perspective is a challenge, and not everyone possesses that power to make others understand.

Musicians, painters, sculptors, especially photographers, have the power to make people across the globe see the world from their perspectives. It is an ability that brings peace of mind and solace in the lives of people. A person that is excelling in this area is Varender Singh, who is capturing the world with his lens, locking his personal perspectives, and showing it to the world.

A Delhi-Born Punjabi with a Passion for Photography

Some people dream about landing on the perfect job; some wish to start their own businesses. There are others who want to acquire financial success; then, there are some who wish to speak to the world in their own language. These people are the ones who want the world to understand their perspectives. Varender had always been one of them as he grew up with a passion for capturing the world through his view, and photography was something he absolutely loved.

While he worked in a variety of different professions throughout his life, he did not give up on his passion. He worked as a clerk, a football repairer, and a machine operator, but nothing stopped him from pursuing his dream. Throughout his life, he built a portfolio and decided to share it with the world. He started working on his digital presence by working on his social media profiles for Facebook and Instagram. Varender took an alias, Channi Miglani, to establish a social presence to share his work with the world.

For Channi Miglani, photography is about expressing feelings and not a profession. He does not want to call photography his profession as it devalues his passion. All his portraits are a reflection of his personal life experiences. All the portraits in his portfolio revolve around his inner thoughts, his view of the world, and his understanding of nature, life, and emotions. It takes several hours for him to capture the perfect moment to make his audience understand his perspective of life and this world.

When asked about his love and admiration for photography, he stated, “Photography is just a profession for many, but for me, it is a way of expressing my feelings. I use my experiences and understanding of life to create my portraits. Clicking pictures and then editing them to reflect my inner thoughts about nature, life, an event, or a character is my general objective for my audience.”

In addition to his photography skills, the 48-year-old Channi Miglani possesses expert picture editing skills. These added skills further shape his craft, making the pictures he captures, impactful. He worked on his tech-skills and self-learned one of the world’s most effective and powerful photo editing app, Adobe Photoshop. He further expressed his interest in photo editing, “Through my photos, I depict my favorite characters in such a way that my editing skills stand out. I respect this art and am very fond of photo editing.”

The photos that he posts on his social media are related to the past and present affairs of the world. Like all other photographers across the globe, his work has received a mixed response. On one hand, some people have fallen in deep admiration for this work; while on the other hand, he has been called stupid, insane, bizarre, and crazy. However, he does not let any of these get to his head, and he keeps his focus on his work and ways he can improve it.

About Channi Miglani – A Passionate Photographer

Channi Miglani’s birth name is Varender Singh, and he was born on November 8, 1972, in the house of Sardar Harpal Singh Maglani and Sardarni Jaswant Kaur. The Delhi-born passionate photographer went to Khalsa College, Delhi University, after completing his high school graduation from Govt. Co. Ed. Senior Secondary School, Mansrover Garden, and New Delhi.

Along with his love for photography, the young boy was fond of sports, specifically cricket and badminton. He captained his high school cricket team and even tried for the Ranji Trophy Entry In Cricket League back in 1990.

After graduating from college, he was unable to get a job, and his father, who was working as a religion teacher in a Sikh Temple in the United States, asked him to relocate. He started working as a repairer for football at the Circle System Group. His parents pressurized him to change his job after which he found landed at a job at the United States Post Office as a clerk.

After working for a year as a clerk, he switched his job when he received an offer from Cigna Healthcare Insurance Company for the position of the machine operator. He is working at the company to date as a Senior Associate.

Varender, professionally known as Channi Miglani, is a passionate photographer who is gaining popularity on social media due to his work. The fact that he works as a Senior Associate at Cigna Healthcare Insurance Company shows that this man does not take photography as a profession or a means to earn a living. Photography is his way to express his feelings and share his perspective of life with the world. Varender is a blessed artist, who has the potential to make the people see the world from his perspective, something that not many people have the capability to do!

Lifestyle

The Future of Social Dancing: How Latin Dance is Adapting to a New Generation

Published

2 days ago

August 21, 2025

Michelle Langton

Latin dance thrives on connection. The music, the partner, and the crowd all feed one another.

Today, that connection is shaped by a younger, digitally fluent generation, and few understand the shift better than Damian Guzman, founder of Bachata Sensual America (BSA). From prize-winning festivals to late-night socials, Guzman and BSA show how the scene is evolving without losing its roots.

Streaming steps, viral beats

A decade ago, beginners to Latin dance hunted for grainy DVD tutorials; now they unlock entire combinations on their phones. TikTok loops, YouTube shorts, and Instagram reels have compressed learning into snack-sized bursts.

Many of the artists signed on with Bachata Sensual America meet dancers where they scroll, posting slow-motion breakdowns and “follow-along” drills that rack up thousands of views. This approach addresses two key Gen Z demands: instant access and a clear path from screen to floor.

By allowing newcomers to practice at home before facing a packed room, the online channel lowers the fear barrier while seeding a desire for in-person connection.

Festivals as entry points, not finish lines

Digital discovery is only the first act. For many people, their real baptism happens at multi-day events where practice hours blur into sunrise socials.

BSA’s flagship Houston Bachata Sensual Festival returned on May 2^nd, 2025, with a follow-up week slated for Bachata Sensual Festival Chicago, September 4^th-9^th, 2025. Both weekends pair technique labs with mental-wellness talks and DJs specializing in bachata, mirroring the playlists in dancers’ earbuds.

That balance of skills and community is why independent reviewers named BSA one of the “Top Latin Dance Festivals in the United States” for 2025. Yet, for Damian, awards matter less than the message: a festival can feel world-class without pricing out college students. He keeps passes tiered, encourages volunteer shifts that offset costs, and prepares bootcamps for absolute beginners, ensuring the dance floor reflects the same diversity he sees online.

Teaching culture, not just choreography

Bachata’s recent boom owes much to its European reinvention. Damian experienced that surge firsthand while earning one of the first U.S. instructor certifications in the Bachata Sensual style. He returned determined to give American dancers the same blend of precision and musicality he had experienced abroad.

BSA classes devote equal time to connection cues, body mechanics, and the genre’s Dominican roots. That trifecta resonates with younger students who want authenticity, not just a viral dip.

“In class I tell people, ‘Technique is how you respect your partner; musicality is how you respect the song,’” Guzman said during a recent podcast. The line distills his mission: elevate standards while keeping the dance welcoming.

Building inclusive, mindful spaces

Generation Z brings new expectations around consent, identity, and mental health. BSA’s code of conduct spells out everything from appropriate touch to gender-neutral role selection. Security staff mediate conflicts quickly, and workshop leaders open sessions with grounding exercises to calm nerves. These actions might sound small, yet they remove friction that once pushed many newcomers away.

Damian argues that such policies go beyond ethics; they future-proof the scene. Normalizing role fluidity in Latin dance widens its talent pool and invites richer musical interpretations. By acknowledging anxiety and overstimulation — common concerns for digital natives — events can retain dancers who might otherwise retreat after their first crowded social.

Latin dance has never stood still, and its next evolution is already spinning under disco lights from Houston to Helsinki. With a phone in every pocket and a festival on every calendar, the gap between discovery and mastery keeps shrinking.

Damian Guzman and Bachata Sensual America illustrate what happens when tradition listens, adapts, and leads with purpose. The result is a scene ready for whatever beat the next generation drops — and a future where social dancing feels more connected, inclusive, and alive than ever.