Stop what you are doing, and dance.
When you talk with Gurdeep Pandher, you quickly realize that what drives him is connection to people and to the land.
The Yukoner is well-known for his Bhangra dancing on social media—a traditional Punjab folk dance to be precise. One which he has used with great success to motivate people to get up and move (for both their physical and mental health) and to showcase his pure joy for living in the moment while experiencing the natural world around him.
Since 2012, Pandher has been using social media for good. That is especially important in a world where it is often used for more-nefarious purposes. Disinformation, misinformation, hate speech and attacks on individuals and organizations, alike, seem rampant and are almost a daily occurrence. But for Pandher, having the means in which to reach people online and spread a little love and joy is something he has always gravitated to.
“It has been part of my journey, talking about life, talking about mental health, talking about self-care, and I also like to talk about inclusivity—building cultural bridges,” he said.
His work has inspired many individuals across North America and, with a particularly strong following in Canada, it’s no wonder he was recently nominated for the Meritorious Service Decoration (Civil Division) from the Governor General of Canada, which he will receive this spring in Ottawa.
“They have given me the award for using social media for positive purposes,” he said.
Over the past four or five years, Pandher has continued to offer his messages of hope, and even at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was online teaching dance classes, with school students across the country (about 20,00 students in 2021, to his estimation), bundling up and heading into the chilly Yukon wilderness to create videos of himself dancing and living in the moment.
He said that since the pandemic, the rise of social media use has increased dramatically and has also helped to create a change in societal behaviours where people have turned inward and project more anger and less tolerance with one another, and even towards their place in nature, creating a less healthy place to live. His mission is to try and remind people what they have left behind.
“People have lost their precious gift from nature on how to be happy.”
He added that by spreading messages of joy, he wants to remind people that we don’t need to be drawn into so much negativity.
“I think that joy is not just entertainment, it’s healing,” Pandher said.
Just like his message of finding little bits of joy in day-to-day life for mental wellness, motivating people to get up and get moving is equally as important for him.
“I like to combine [messages of joy] with movement. Because dance is a big movement. I find that moment is important.”
Pandher uses the Yukon wilderness to motivate himself when he feels like he needs a pick-me-up, pointing out that people can find anything that gets them moving, from walking to skating to tobogganing (all great activities in the Yukon).
With the pandemic now in the rear-view mirror, Pandher has turned his attention to a new book (which remains untitled) that he recently sent off to his agent and expects to see in print sometime in 2026.
“In the book, I am talking about similar kinds of things: about how to find joy in difficult times, which is the core subject or core topic I always discuss in my social media posts,” Pandher said.
All of it based on his own personal experiences and how he has learned to overcome some of them.
As for 2025, Pandher will return to one of his favourite things to do, which is cross-country touring, speaking to people in person and sharing his messages of positivity and hope.
“I like to interact with people, as I like to spread messages online too.”
He originally began his tour in 2022, covering much of Canada’s East Coast and travelling into Central Canada.
Next year will see him tackle the western provinces and Nunavut.
“I will continue making videos; continue spreading messages of joy, hope and positivity; and I will continue doing different shows and performances at different places; and I will continue to enjoy the Yukon as much as I can.”
The Yukon has certainly shaped Pandher and he, in turn, has shaped it.
He said the territory has played a special role in his rise to social-media stardom, pointing out that it was here, in 2012, that he first began using an online platform to share his videos and to connect with people here and across the country. Having the opportunity to mix the beautiful and wild Yukon landscape with traditional Punjabi dance was an opportunity he could not pass up.
“It created a beautiful contrast,” he said. In fact, the Yukon could be considered the birthplace of his creativity, he added.
In return, Pandher has helped raise the profile of the Yukon, sharing the stories and history of the territory with the people he interacts with online. He has lent his celebrity to local events and organizations, alike, building a lasting and meaningful partnership.
In the end, Gurdeep Pandher has shown the rest of the country how special of a place the Yukon really is.
You can find his video on Instagram: @gurdeeppandher
