Dance partners

Gurdeep Pandher (Photo by Peter Mather)

I spent my childhood on my family’s farm, which nurtured my deep and lifelong affinity for nature; a passion that weaves its way through my writing and dancing. Bhangra as a dance form was created out in nature in Punjab.

Here in the Yukon, when I dance outside, it connects me to the roots of this dance form. I moved to Canada in 2006 from the small village of Siahar in Punjab, making my home in several cities across Canada, from Saskatoon to Whitehorse in 2011, where I live now. The Yukon is unlike any other place in Canada, with landscapes characterized by raw, quiet stretches of undisturbed nature. These wild spaces bring a peace and inspiration to me that translates through dance.

The nature here is dancing 24/7, so when I dance, I feel like nature and I are together. It’s a companionship, and we are one. I carry this sentiment with me while I dance. I dance my way through life with an open mind and heart, both guided by the solace I find through my love for nature. I hope everyone can create joy in nature, carry it with them and then share it with the world.

This story originally appeared in the winter 2023 issue of the Nature Conservancy of Canada Magazine. To learn more about how you can receive the magazine, click here.

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