his project is a co-creation between Folk Star Arts Academy, The Wild Moccasin Dancers, and Lower Mainland Punjabi and Indigenous community members, including Surrey, Vancouver, and the surrounding communities. Our primary goal is to engage youth and emerging artists from these communities in the creation of an original, cross-cultural performance piece that brings together Punjabi Bhangra and Indigenous Powwow Dance.

We are already working with an Indigenous dance troupe, The Wild Moccasin Dancers, who are officially on board for this partnership. We also have regular relationships with community members through schools, Punjabi clubs, and youth arts organizations. The majority of our participants are already engaged with Folk Star’s regular programming, including free Bhangra workshops, turban-tying classes, and folk music classes taught at Guru Angad Dev Elementary School, our established community partner.
To attract new members, we will use a combination of outreach strategies, such as:
Carrying out pilot cultural exchange workshops in schools and community centers.
Creating social media campaigns based on past success stories and the opportunity to be part of a unique intercultural performance.
Offering free registration and transportation aid for youth from underprivileged communities.
Engaging elders and community leaders to inspire participation through word-of-mouth and trust networks.
The collaborative and open nature of the project will be emphasized in all outreach so that participants feel included, valued, and invited to contribute to this culturally diverse new work.