Northeast dance academy takes bhangra online during COVID-19

Families in northeast Calgary aren't letting COVID-19 get in the way of their bhangra classes.

The Punjabi dance classes set to upbeat Indian pop music are popular among Calgary families with Indian roots. With their dance school standing empty, kids are now taking part in classes from their living rooms via Facebook and Instagram.

Nachda Punjab Bhangra Academy, based in the Westwinds area, is closed. But a small group of instructors get together every Monday evening in their empty studio to hold physically distant live-streamed classes to keep kids occupied and active while boosting mental well-being.

"A lot of parents want to preserve their culture and they want their kids to learn," said instructor Rob Virk.

"It's a great way to exercise, it's a great way to learn the dance, and it's also a great way to learn the culture," said Virk.

Kids learn the basic foundational steps of bhangra. Advanced groups travel around North America to compete in competitions, although this summer is likely to be hit by event cancellations due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Three competitions have already been cancelled so far for 2020.

To keeps kids sharp and competition ready, every two weeks the academy puts out a challenge to its students, who film themselves dancing at home. The winners get their videos posted online.

"I miss these guys, our students. We talk about it almost every day, and every time we see our students' videos it puts a smile on our faces," said instructor Mavin Gill. 

"The interaction isn't the same and we miss those interactions, but this is the best we can do right now," he said.

"This has been a super popular way to keep the kids engaged. We've been getting a lot of positive feedback from parents because schools are closed and this has been a bright spot," said Gill.

Gill says bhangra develops character and confidence in kids who take it up and provides an important cultural connection between parents and kids.

"The kids are enjoying being creative and putting these choreographies together," said Gill.

"It's been a big hit. We've been one of the first academies, especially in Calgary, to take that on, and we're going to do it till things settle," said Gill.

The class runs every Monday at 6 p.m. on the Nachda Punjab Facebook page.