Whitehorse Bhangra dancer shows off Yukon to the world
'That's what multicultural is all about,' says Gurdeep Pandher
A Whitehorse man is turning his love for Bhangra dancing into a way to showcase Yukon around the world.
Gurdeep Pandher has been posting videos online of himself and dancing partner Manuela Haemmerli at locales in the Whitehorse area.
One has registered almost 250,000 views, and Pandher said it's helping promote the territory.
"People are talking about the Yukon, people are talking about Whitehorse, even many, many people who didn't know that area," Pandher said. "This video spread across Europe, South America and people are wondering about this place."
The video was taken at the Canada Day celebration in Whitehorse. It begins with Pandher and Haemmerli dancing, with many more people gradually joining in.
Pandher said it works perfectly with his goal of showing the world Canada's diversity.
"We are one Canada, and we can bring people together and we can dance together. That's what multicultural is all about."
The dance style began centuries ago in the Indian state of Punjab, performed in farming communities as a way to celebrate and relax after the completion of the harvest.
It's now often featured in Bollywood films.
"This dance is considered a happy dance, a productive dance and a dance to keep all your worries away," he said.
He first took formal lessons as a teenager and since then, "it has been going on and off, on and off."
with files from A New Day