“Every single person is capable of creating joy.”
That was just one of many messages that viral dancer Gurdeep Pandher shared with residents during an energetic visit to the Sault on Tuesday night.
Living in a cabin just outside of Whitehorse, Yukon for the past 13 years, Pandher’s rise to popularity came in the early months of the pandemic when he began posting dance videos to social media.
He currently has more than 120,000 followers on Facebook and 35,000 followers on TikTok.
Pandher’s love for dance is taking him to every corner of the country as he teaches other Canadians how to dance Bhangra – a traditional folk dance of Punjab.
Although his stop in the Sault was fairly last-minute, Pandher still had around 50 locals join him at Bellevue Park for some uplifting dance routines.
“Everyone has been so friendly here,” he told SooToday. “It’s a beautiful city. I was touched by seeing the waters here, and it’s amazing the U.S. is right there.”
“This dance was created for joy, positivity, and happiness,” he says. “It’s also a good workout – it’s a happy dance. People like to move. Dance is the universal language, and it’s been a great connector with other folks too.”
Pandher started his cross-Canada tour last year and has visited countless communities across the easternmost provinces. After taking a break during the snowy months, he’s now on track to reaching the west coast by October – spreading love along the way.
“I’ve been trying to go to as many places as I can,” he says. “I feel honoured and humbled by meeting so many wonderful people. Wherever I’ve went, people have brought their different talents and stories they’ve shared with me. It’s been great to learn the country from in-person perspective.”
Hailing from the cold and remote environment of the Yukon, Pandher says he’s done videos in as cold as minus-45 weather and has even danced on frozen lakes.
He’s hopeful his dancing will help give his home territory more recognition.
“The Yukon, although it’s a beautiful territory with beautiful people and geography, it’s not talked about much in the media or by other people,” he admits. “I’m grateful that through my videos I was able to give more exposure to that land, and people have started visiting it more.”
