Community

We’re committed to creating a thriving and dynamic community. We prioritize building and serving our community by offering engaging workshops, participating in diverse initiatives and taking part in a variety of community-oriented projects and Punjabi events.

Positive Parenting Workshops

How can we raise happy, healthy and successful children in today’s world? Royal Academy of Punjab has created 5 workshop videos that address important issues such as child development, family dynamics and relationships and mental health. You will learn what impacts your child’s growth and happiness and what a healthy relationship looks like, how you can help them develop healthy relationships and positive communication and learn about risk factors that our youth face today.
Select one
Daljit Gill Badesha |Part -1|2020
Daljit Gill - Badesha| Part - 2| 2020
Devinder Dhaliwal | 2020
Bina| Moving Forward Families| Part - 1| 2020
Bina| Moving Forward Families| Part- 2| 2020

Projects

Royal Academy of Punjab is dedicated to creating new dynamic events that are culturally relevant and exciting. Take a look at some of the amazing projects we have been a part of.
2023

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Folk Lok Live

Royal Academy of Punjab Celebrating Global Womanhood through our history of culture, Music and Dance.I

n partnership:

Native ThunderFame Art Group

African Friendship

Supported by: Govt of Canada

British Columbia Arts Council

City of Surrey

Metro Vancouver

Media partners: @gabroo-tv

Gurdian @Channel Punjabi Saw raj @REDFMCANADA

Community partners Poetic justice Cloverdale fuel ABC Vegigarden JassalVideo

Production imagestudiophotos

Project Artistic  Director: Hardeep singh sahota

Project Advisor: Mo Dhaliwal

Project manager: Anita Lal

2022

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Folk Lok Live Taiko to Dhol

Folk Lok Live was created to bridge gaps between radicalized communities through the arts. This annualevent brings together communities that do not engage with each other traditionally. Through this work, wepromote anti-racism and create a transformative event and experience for our audience and the community.

In partnership with Uzume Taiko Drum Group Society

Supported by @goverment of Canada @GovernmentofBC @surreybc @metrovancouver

Media partners @gabroo-tv Gurdian @ChannelPunjabi Saw raj @REDFMCANADA

Community partners Poetic justice Cloverdale fuel ABC Vegigarden JassalVideo Production imagestudiophotos

Project Artistic  Director: Hardeep singh sahota

Project Advisor: Mo Dhaliwal

Project manager: Anita Lal

2021

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FOLK LOK LIVE SERIES – 4 ( PERSIA TO PUNJAB)

A colourful and exciting journey of exploration between the Persian and Punjabi culture through poetry, storytelling, music, and dance. Together we celebrate the words and beats that make our hearts sing and souls dance. Come with us, as we travel from the mystical Persia to vibrant Punjab In partnership with Hossien and Fame Art Group.

Supported by

@goverment of Canada

@ProvinceofBC

@City of Surrey

@MetroVancouver

Media partners

@Harjot Hundal

Gurdian

@Channel Punjabi

Sawraj Radio

@RED FM CANADA

Community partners

Poetic justice

Cloverdale fuel

ABC

Vegigarden

Jassal sign

Project Artistic Director: Hardeep singh sahota

Project Advisor: Mo Dhaliwal

Project manager: Anita Lal

Project Reserach supported by: Gursewak Lambi (Punjabi university of patiala)

Persian Dance Manager: Fereshteh Zakery

Punjabi Folk dance manager: Deeksha Arora

Punjabi Vocalist: Vishaljeet Kaur

Persian vocalist: Banafsheh Farahmand

Indian band Coach Sandhu Bruce Harding Sandy Khaira Jassi Des raj Yashraj

Persian band Sanaz Nakhjavani Bijan Rahmani Hossein Meimani

Fame art groups (persian performer) Ronak Hakimzadeh Melina Mozaferi Dorsa Davoodabadi Behrang Ferdousi Leila Henareh Fariba Kian

Royal Academy of Punjabi (Performers) DEEKSHA ARORA GURSIMAR SAHOTA MANISHA MALHI HARLENE SRAN ARPAN SRAN GURNOOR PANNU JAPNOOP WARAICH PARNAAM SANGHERA PRABLEEN MAL RIYA MANN HASRET GILL REHAT AUJLA MANROOP SAINI SIMRIN SOHAL Thank you for watching

Thank you for Watching

2020

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Folk Lok Live Series - Persia to Punjab

Come join us for a colourful and exciting journey of exploration between the Persian and Punjabi culture through poetry, storytelling, music, and dance. Together we celebrate the words and beats that make our hearts sing and souls dance. Come with us, as we travel from the mystical Persia to vibrant PunjabIn partnership with Hossien and Fame Art Group

Supported by

@goverment of Canada

@GovernmentofBC

@surreybc

@metrovancouver

Media partners

@gabroo-tv

Gurdian

@ChannelPunjabi

Saw raj

@REDFMCANADA

Community partners:Poetic justice - Cloverdale fuel - ABC Vegigarden - Jassal

Video Production: imagestudiophotos

Project Artistic  Director: Hardeep singh sahota

Project Advisor: Mo Dhaliwal

Project manager: Anita Lal

Project Reserach supported by: Gursewak Lambi (Punjabi university of patiala)

Persian Dance Manager: Fereshteh ZakeryPunjabi

Folk dance manager: Deeksha Arora

Punjabi Vocalist: Vishaljeet Kaur Persian

vocalist: Banafsheh Farahmand

Indian band Coach Sandhu Bruce Harding Sandy Khaira Jassi Des raj Yashraj

Persian band  Sanaz NakhjavaniBijan RahmaniHossein MeimaniFame art groups

(persian performer)Ronak HakimzadehMelina MozaferiDorsa Davoodabadi Behrang FerdousiLeila HenarehFariba Kian

Royal Academy (Performers) DEEKSHA ARORA - GURSIMAR SAHOTA - MANISHA MALHI - HARLENE SRAN - ARPAN SRAN - GURNOOR PANNU - JAPNOOP WARAICH - PARNAAM SANGHERA - PRABLEEN MAL - RIYA MANN - HASRET GILL - REHAT AUJLA - MANROOP SAINI - SIMRIN SOHAL

2019

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FOLK LOK LIVE 2019 (BORDERLESS)

Borderless is a celebration of pre-partition Punjab. Before invisible lines laid down by the British divided Punjabi’s, we lived together, we laughed together, we cried together and were a part of each others story. Our daily lives, our daily rituals, our traditions and our dreams were rooted in the same soil. Our love stories carried the same sweetness, our struggles shed the same tears, our songs told the same stories and our bodies moved to the same beats.

Seventy years after partition and oceans away, Punjabi’s in the Diaspora still have Punjab imprinted on our souls. We experience the pull of the land, feel the whispers of breeze from the fields and hear gentle the laughter of waves on the banks of the rivers. What we forget is that we share the same sweet memories with our neighbours.

The Punjabi Spirit doesn’t recognize state lines that divide, it still dances to the same dhol and tumbhi on both sides of the border. Through the beauty of Waris Shah’s Heer and Bulleh Shah’s poetry, the movements of Jhoomar and Jugni, and the sound of the dhol, tumbhi and bugchu; we honour the Spirit and the brotherhood of our forefathers by exploring our identity, our culture and our history pre-partition.

Artistically curated by Vijay Yamla, grandson of legendary Ustaad Lal Chand Yamla Jatt and Hardeep Singh Sahota of Royal Academy of Punjabi, and MC’d by Mo Dhaliwal. In a time that there is so much division and discrimination, so much hate and mistrust; Folk Lok Live: Brotherhood will spread the message of love and unity. We will come together and share our stories and let that imprint on our Soul shine and our Spirit dance together.

Supported by:

Govt of Canada – Govt of BC – BC Arts – City of Vancouver – City of Surrey

Media Partners:

GTV – Channel Punjabi – Sawraj Radio – Red Fm – Chardikala – Akal Guardian

Community Partners:

I learn Secondary School – Cloverdale Fuels – Jassal Signs – Manny’s Boutique – Newville Drywall – Sussex Insurance – Veggie Garden – ABC Home Automation.

Project Manager:  Anita Lal

Artistic Director: Hardeep Singh Sahota

Mc: Mla Rachna Singh

Event Narriotor: Mo Dhaliwal

Poem by: Harpreet Kang

Singer: Vijay Yamla and Prince Tejay Singer

Musician: Bruce Harding – Sandy – Coach Sandhu – Amarjit valjot – Jassi Singh – Saranjeet Singh – Gurdev Singh

Dancers & Student Singers: Deeksha Arora – Gursimar Sahota – Manisha Malhi- Jevan waraich – Channel sekhon – Gurnoor pannu – Sehajmann tejay – Prableen Mal -Aditya Monga – Sharan Brar – Manmeet puri – Taran Dhatt – Ravjit deol – Sahildeep Cheema – Ishaan Singh – Himat Grewal

2018

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FOLK LOK LIVE 2018

Folk Lok Live The warrior’s drums and the bhangra dancer’s dhol… the sweet sounds of the fancy shawl dance and the love story of Saami… all in one magical night called Folk Lok Live.   Watch the magic that happened as we connected two beautiful cultures and came together as brother’s through music, dance and storytelling.

Supported by

Govt of Canada

Govt of British Columbia

City of surrey

Community partners

VIBC

I learn school

Sky Rocket

Cloverdale Fuel

Amira Health

Media partners

Channel Punjabi

Red Fm

Sawraj Radio

UBC BHANGRA PROJECT IN SURREY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

2017

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BC MULTICULTURAL AWARDS

BC HIGHLAND GAMES & SCOTTISH FESTIVAL

FOLK FUSION

Stories of Celebration: All the best bits from Folk Fusion 2017! We hope you enjoyed the annual folk fusion event. This iconic event was built around the idea of celebrating arts, culture and diversity.

WALK FOR RECONCILIATION

Royal Academy of Punjabi Dancers perform Punjabi Folk dance at the Walk for Reconciliation, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

BICENTENNIAL CANADA DAY CELEBRATION VANCOUVER

2016

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COLOURS OF PUNJAB 2016

A presentation created and performed by our Artistic Dance Director Hardeep Singh Sahota & The Founder of The Spirit of the village Jacky Yenga.

Music Master: Vijay Yamla
Drum: Amarjeet Valjot

BUSINESS FOR THE ARTS

Transfusion

VIBC’S BUSINESS OF CULTURE FUNDRAISER

Choreographer and Performer


VALENTINE EDITION

Vancouver, BC


PEACE ARCH HOSPITAL VAISAKHI CELEBRATION

White Rock, BC


2015

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VIBC – TRANSFUSION 2015

Surrey, BC.

TransFusion 2015 has always been about pushing boundaries and taking artistic liberties. This year, VIBC is excited to partner up with Hardeep Singh Sahota from Royal Academy of Punjabi who guided all the artists Vanessa Goodman, Stu Iguidez, Dayna Szyndrowski, and Jacky Yenta about Punjabi Folk Dances.

Together, we present bhangra abstracted — elements of the dance movements, the music, the instruments, the language — seen through a new and unique lens. This is our opportunity to get weird, to explore, and to excite you with an innovative performance, blending and creating new pieces in partnership with local artists. Art has no boundaries, and through TransFusion, VIBC continues to break through the silos and explore new possibilities for cross-cultural understanding.

Performance done on December 3rd, 2015

CANADA DAY FESTIVAL

Langley, BC

VIBC DOWNTOWN BHANGRA

(Bhangra Highland Fusion) Vancouver, BC


SFU 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC

SFU DIWALI NIGHT GALA

Surrey, BC

2014

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VIBC – CITY OF BHANGRA 2014: TRANSFUSION

May 29, 2014. Fei and Milton Wong Experimental Theatre, SFU Woodward’s, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

An exhilarating start to the Festival, led by MC and beatboxer Rup Sidhu and choreographed by Hardeep Sahota, with performances by Native Thunder Productions, JCC Shalom Dancers, Now or Never Crew, Leela Dance, and the Royal Academy of Punjabi, all accompanied by Karnveer Bhuller on Dhol. This event was a unique opportunity to experience First Nations, Jewish, Hip-Hop, and Garba dancers creating intercultural mash-ups by blending bhangra moves with their own indigenous folk traditions. Opening Reception catered by Nanak Foods. Presented with support from Canada Council for the Arts.

Performers:
Native Thunder Productions (First Nations Group)
JCC Shalom Dancers (Jewish Dancers)
Now or Never Crew (Breakdancers)
Leela Dance (Garba Dancers)
Royal Academy of Punjabi, featuring Surrey Folk Bhangra Club

Dholi – Karnvir Bhuller
MC – Rupinder Sidhu
Choreographer – Hardeep Sahota from Royal Academy of Punjabi

STEP TO THE BEAT CANCER FOUNDATION

SFU DIWALI GALA

Choreographer and Performer

2013

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VIBC – HSBC CITY OF BHANGRA 2013: REPERCUSSION

HSBC Canada sponsored the City of Bhangra festival in Vancouver, a show which presents artists, music and singers from around the world. To coincide with this, a group of employees, some with no dance training, decided to put together their own team to perform at the festival.

With a group that represents gender, culture and generational diversity, meet the HSBC bhangra dancing team. Choreographed By Hardeep Singh Sahota.

2012

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VIBC – HSBC CITY OF BHANGRA 2012

HSBC Canada sponsored the City of Bhangra festival in Vancouver, a show which presents artists, music and singers from around the world. To coincide with this, a group of employees, some with no dance training, decided to put together their own team to perform at the festival.

With a group that represents gender, culture and generational diversity, meet the HSBC bhangra dancing team. Choreographed By Hardeep Singh Sahota.