Canada loves to dance and YouTube is where Canadians go to learn the hottest moves from creators like Vancouver’s Amreen Gill, whose Bhangra, Gidha, Bollywood and Hip-Hop tutorials will see you getting down this International Dance Day (April 29)! We chatted with Amreen about her viral videos, and got her tips on creating boogie-worthy YouTube content. —Vita Daily
Hi Amreen! Please tell us a bit about yourself to start.
I am a trained dancer, choreographer, actress and creator of BhangraFit dance fitness on YouTube. I offer dance training in Gidha, Bhangra and Bollywood fusion dance forms to students of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels.
Tell us about your passion for dance. When, why and how did it begin? What are your favourite styles of dance? How does dance enhance/benefit your life?
I have been dancing since I was four, and teaching dance since I was eight. My mom is a very good dancer, so I think I get my dance genes from her. I started off as a self-taught dancer, watching and imitating my favourite Bollywood and Bhangra dancers on TV. I got used to performing on stage very early on. I trained in Bhangra and Gidha for four years in Amritsar before becoming a professional YouTuber and choreographer in Vancouver.
How do you use your YouTube channel to provide Canadians with dance content? Why is YouTube such an awesome place to share your dance passion?
YouTube has been my favourite platform to create and share my dance videos, choreographies, dance fitness routines and tutorials with people in Canada and all over the world. YouTube reaches every corner of the world, which helps creators like me to share our passion and grow our audience organically. I personally follow a lot of YouTube creators and get great value from their content, and I try to create content that will entertain and provide value to my viewers, whether it’s getting a good cardio workout at home or learning a new dance step or choreography. As a creator, I love the analytics that YouTube Dashboard offers, giving me insights on how I can improve my content and reach a bigger audience. I have used these analytics to create a complete Bhangra dance tutorial series which is available on my website.
Have any of your dance videos gone viral? What does it take to create a viral dance?
Yes, actually a couple of my dance videos have gone viral and every time it happens, it is a pleasant surprise. One of my first dance videos to go viral was a simple Bhangra tutorial that I literally shot behind my apartment building with no production budget whatsoever. But my most viral video has to be a dance video on Yeah Baby, a popular Punjabi song. It features Gidha and Bhangra dance steps with a twist. My Home Dance Workout Video from my BhangraFit series also became viral during the pandemic because as gyms closed, more and more people were looking for fun at-home workouts on YouTube. It’s impossible to predict which video will go viral but I think the most important ingredient for a viral dance video is a visually appealing dance choreography on a popular song and/or a tutorial/dance fitness video which helps people reach their fitness goals.
During pandemic lockdown, do you have any tips/advice on how individuals and families can enjoy dancing at home? Do you think dance can benefit us during this stressful/challenging time?
I think it is essential for individuals and families to find fun activities to do at home during this stressful time, and dance is a great activity to relieve stress. It not only is a great form of aerobic exercise that improves heart and lung function, it also improves muscular tone, strength and flexibility. I specifically design my dance tutorials and my BhangraFit dance workouts in an easy follow-along format. Anyone, regardless of their dance background and fitness level, can follow along and get a great workout while having fun. And the best part about dancing at home is that you can really dance like nobody’s watching!
How will you be celebrating International Dance Day on April 29?
I will be choreographing and shooting some fun dance content for my YouTube family on April 29.
Final, personal question: besides your own moves, what viral dance are you thinking of mastering next?
I personally love hip hop and street style dance, so I would love to learn and master this dance form, and use it in my choreographies and videos.
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