Gurdeep Pandher is always ready for an adventure, making friends and dancing a bhangra number or two 鈥� especially on the steps of the B.C. Legislature Building.
The Yukon-based dancer moved to Canada from Punjab more than a decade ago, but it wasn鈥檛 until recently that he became a household name with several of his bhangra dance videos going viral on social media.
Pandher鈥檚 journey to social media stardom started 鈥渙rganically鈥� when he shared an online video of his Canada Day performance in Whitehorse. The video initially meant for friends and family was shared and watched by some 300,000 people overnight, said Pandher, who鈥檚 been doing bhangra since he was a child living in a village in Punjab.
On Aug. 7, Pandher announced on Twitter that he would be exploring Vancouver Island for 10 days and shared a video of him doing bhangra in front of the legislature building in downtown Victoria. After touring Greater Victoria, he planned to drive up to Tofino 鈥� making various stops along the way.
This wasn鈥檛 Pandher鈥檚 first time on Vancouver Island. In 2019, he filmed a bhangra dance video with the at the base in Esquimalt which caught the attention of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Since then, Pandher has danced with bagpiper , Canadian Paralympian and 鈥� each video raking in millions of views.
Hello from Victoria, BC!
鈥� Gurdeep Pandher of Yukon (@GurdeepPandher)
I am at Vancouver Island for 10 days!
鈥淲herever I go, I end up making new connections. This type of work unites people. It doesn鈥檛 matter which background or which part of the world you鈥檙e coming from 鈥� you have the same feelings inside.鈥�
Despite being a social media sensation, Pandher doesn鈥檛 feel like a celebrity. He values the simpler things and feels 鈥渞eal richness is being happy and positive.鈥�
After touring Vancouver Island, Pandher will head home to his cabin outside Whitehorse, Yukon where he teaches bhangra workout classes. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, he鈥檚 begun offering classes online. The first session had about 70 people from across Canada taking part and he was surprised by the response.
鈥漃eople were so excited and cheerful,鈥� said Pandher, who now teaches 24 online dance classes per month to some 2000 students across Canada and the U.S.A.
鈥淚t was so heartwarming.鈥�
In Victoria (BC) downtown, this human was playing his guitar.
鈥� Gurdeep Pandher of Yukon (@GurdeepPandher)
I asked him if he could match the tempo with my music.
He tried, and it matched.
Everything is just matching tempos away.
Enjoy!
The class fee is by donation and 25 per cent of the proceeds go to charities focused on COVID-19 and mental health 鈥� which has played a big role in Pandher鈥檚 dance journey. His goal is to use bhangra to break down barriers and lift spirits. People of all ages are feeling alone right now and students have said that the dance classes are a way to relieve that pressure, express emotions and find community.
The connecting doesn鈥檛 stop when the class is over, Pandher said, adding that he鈥檚 received 鈥減owerful鈥� messages 鈥� some of which brought him to tears鈥� from people who鈥檝e found joy through bhangra 鈥� from doctors working on COVID-19 floors to bedridden patients who grooved along to the music.
鈥淚鈥檝e started feeling that may be it鈥檚 my duty or responsibility to spread positivity, joy and hope 鈥� if we have hope, we have everything,鈥� Pandher said.
Dancing helps him stay hopeful too.
鈥淲hen I start dancing, I forget everything and instantly regain my joy.鈥�
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