Bringing joy through the bhangra dance

CTV National News: Canadian Bhangra dancer A Yukon man is getting attention for his traditional Bhangra dance videos uniting people during the pandemic. Alessandra Carneiro has more.

SASKATOON — Former Saskatoon resident Gurdeep Pandher is hoping to bring joy to Canadians by sharing his bhangra dance routines to social media.

“It is a form of dance that makes me happy and it also makes me positive,” said Pandher.

Pandher grew up in India and immigrated to Canada in 2006. Shortly after he moved to Saskatoon where he worked in IT.

In 2010 Pandher became a Canadian citizen. He moved to the Yukon in 2011.

“My dance classes helped me to connect with the locals because they started coming to my classes and it helped me to build a connection,” Pandher said.

Pandher’s videos have now garnered thousands of views with each video highlighting a different location in the Yukon.

His most recent partnership includes a dance a party with the Victoria police department.

Thirty-five officers from Victoria Police Department took part in the bhangra dance.

Chief Constable Del Manak says that he hopes the video will inspire other police forces to get out and dance.

“The message that Gurdeep has been spreading which is cross-cultural unity really resonated with me and we felt that this is what our police department is trying to achieve.”

Pandher says he hopes his videos will continue to inspire communities to come together and hopes it will help keep spirits alive during the pandemic.