Gurdeep Pandher seeks to spark happiness and hope through bhangra
The Punjabi-born Yukon resident wants to take his joyful dance-based mission nationwide once the pandemic ends
Gurdeep Pandher dances outdoors every single day in places like Miles Canyon in his home province of the Yukon. Photo by Mark Kelly Photography
FOR ALMOST AS long as he has been walking, Gurdeep Pandher has been dancing.
Hailing from a village in Punjab called Siahar, Pandher was born into a family of farmers—and into bhangra. Punjabi-Sikh farmers created the dance by using different aspects of farming to celebrate growing and harvesting food and the relationship to the land. He started professional bhangra lessons at 17.
Now living in the Yukon, Pandher is on a mission to spark a happiness movement all through the dance form of his forebears.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Pandher has been dancing outdoors and posting videos online every single day to spread hope and positivity.
“Dancing bhangra allows me to cherish and bring attention to my heritage,” Pandher tells Stir. “I have built a strong connection with this dance form, and it means a lot to me. I love bhangra because it allows me to bring joy to others’ lives and build cross-cultural bridges.
“The most significant way I have been uplifting others over this last year has been through my dance videos in the Yukon,” he says. “After watching my videos, frontline workers, including nurses, doctors, patients, and other essential employees, wrote that the videos I posted made their days better. This last year brought me to realize that I am doing a form of social service to impact others’ lives by uploading daily bhangra videos positively.”
And he tells Stir he has great hopes for the time when COVID-19 is behind us.
“When the pandemic is over, I would love to do a cross-country happiness tour to bring joy across Canada, coast to coast to coast,” Pandher says. “From my experiences, I learned that dance is more than just entertainment, It is therapy or healing or something which can be used to reduce stress levels and calm anxiety. Therefore, it is so important for maintaining good mental health and an active lifestyle. I would like to encourage people to try dance to be healthy, stay positive, and bring joy to the world.”
Pandher is becoming an international sensation through his bhangra dancing, with media coverage by the BBC, USA Today, SBS Australia, and beyond.
He has lived in cities and towns all across Canada, including Vancouver, Squamish and Abbotsford. Pandher became a Canadian citizen in 2011 and moved to Whitehorse the following year.
Gurdeep Pandher not only dances every day, he also writes every day.
“I felt drawn to the Yukon because of the wondrous wildlife, beautiful scenery, and open spaces,” Pandher says. “I was born and raised in open farmland, so I developed a strong connection with nature since my childhood. The large mountains, lakes, and rivers located in the Yukon are very unique, and I am happy to call it home.”
Pandher is also a prolific writer. He wrote his first poem in Grade 6. By Grade 10, he had written hundreds of stories and a play. By the age of 23, he was a published author of two books. His second, Among the Stars, is based on the life of Kalpana Chawla, the first woman of Indian origin to go to space.
When he’s not writing—something he does daily—he teaches bhangra, currently through online workshops. He intends to continue posting videos every day to help lift people’s spirits.
Pandher says he never imagined that his videos would have such immense and far-reaching impact. He regularly receives personal and grateful letters from his fans.
“This past year, I received a message from someone whose family had a life-threatening condition,” Pandher says. “The viewer explained that his sister watches my videos from the hospital, bringing her happiness during this difficult time. Similarly, I was amazed when a trauma surgeon wrote that he turns to my page to find moments of joy. Another powerful message I have received was from a viewer who lost her son and son’s partner in a car accident in Newfoundland. She has requested me to dedicate a dance to them for her joy, hope, and positivity.
“This past month, I received a handmade rug-hooking from an artist in Newfoundland, which depicts me dancing bhangra,” he says. “It touched me so much, and I am grateful for these surprising but meaningful interactions.”
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