Canadian Bhangra dancing sensation Gurdeep Pandher is offering a how-to on expressing joy and optimism through movement on the front lawn of the B.C. legislature Wednesday night.
Pandher is offering a free half-hour in-person Bhangra lesson at 6 p.m. for “joy and positivity” and “all are welcome.”
Wear running shoes for the lesson and bring a bottle of water. No experience is required. Pandher expects the event to conclude at about 6:30 p.m.
“Also, a lot of people have been requesting me to meet,” said Pandher, on a his event page. “This could be great time to say hello.”
The 43-year-old Yukoner’s videos of dancing in the snow in front of his remote cabin have gained him international fame. He estimates he has about 300,000 followers on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. Three-quarters of them are from Canada.
Pandher was born in India’s Punjab and moved to the Yukon nine years ago. Pre-pandemic, he was doing contract work as an IT specialist for the Yukon government and teaching dancing on the side. Then, videos of him joyfully dancing the Bhangra, a traditional dance in Punjab, went viral, engaging people stuck at home during the pandemic.
Pandher is on Vancouver Island this week making more videos and giving lessons. It’s his third visit since first coming to Victoria in 2019 to teach his moves to members of the Armed Forces at CFB Esquimalt.
