Celebrate Asian Heritage Month, every step tells a story

This May, celebrate Asian Heritage Month with CBC through the language of movement, where every step tells a story. Throughout the month, we're shining a spotlight on Asian dance groups that showcase a variety of classical, folk and contemporary dance styles from the community. It's a vibrant tapestry of Asian dance forms right in our own backyard. We see communities coming together, celebrating one another, and expressing their stories through movement.

CBC is honoured to feature six talented dance schools from across Metro Vancouver that are keeping cultural heritage alive, passing down traditions, knowledge, and technique while helping individuals stay connected to their roots.

Appare Yosakoi Vancouver is a spirited Japanese dance group bringing the lively energy of Yosakoi to the West Coast. Yuhei Shimada founded the group in 2022 and named the Vancouver chapter, Appare, which means both "clear the sky" and a Japanese cheer for a job well done. Yosakoi is a highly energetic style that  blends movement and rhythm using traditional naruko clappers, spreading joy and colour wherever they perform. 

Rain or shine, we dance! 
In a city known for its rainy climate, Yuhei and his team aim to brighten Vancouver's cloudy days with every smile and step, staying true to the joyful spirit of this dance's origins. Yosakoi was a post-WW II communal initiative designed to uplift Japan with hope. 

Yuhei describes that the "moving forward" aspect of the choreography generates an energy that has invited people to join its culture of optimism. "We dance to be the sun of this rain-covered city. We light it up and bring the people joy and energy and smiles and all the positive vibes to the city". 

Joy knows no borders
"50% of our team members are non-Japanese and we come together at night, sing together, dance together, have fun together and enjoy the moment together. Isn't that the point?". 

Though their members range from 15 to 53 and don't all speak the same language, Yuhei declares that dancing releases everyone's stress. He truly embodies the "everyone is welcome" spirit, as the dance group requires neither prior experience nor knowledge of Japanese.

Yunik Dance Studio is Vancouver's go-to destination for K-Pop enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels. Yun Namgung, the founder, brings the excitement of K-Pop choreography to Canada, influenced by iconic groups like BTS, EXO, and TWICE. Yunik offers a pop culture space for over 2,000 dancers, inspiring them to move like their favourite idols.

K-Poppin' success!
For Yun, the journey into the world of K-Pop dance began with Gangnam Style. She didn't know it yet, but when her high school teacher asked her to teach the iconic dance to the entire class, that simple request was the first step on a path that would lead her to build a dance school and teach over 5,000 classes.

Yunik Dance is now one of North America's biggest studios, with shows boasting over 160 dancers. "I really hope that I can inspire other people to start their own business, or maybe embrace their culture more and feel connected to their heritage". Yun's success shows how artists can build thriving businesses by pursuing what they love. 

K-Pop stan!
Yun has discovered that Yunik offers more than choreography. "95% of my students are non- Koreans, but they come together because they love K-pop". K-Pop's global energy, sparked by hit songs, has helped strangers connect instantly. The growing fondness for this pop-culture has invited Yun and her dance teams to perform at various local events from the PNE Cultural Showcase to a Canucks game and Canada Day celebrations, building a devoted fan base across borders. 

PhilCAS is a dance group bringing Philippine culture to life through folk dance across the world. The Ambrosio sisters, Rachel and Romina, the current president and chair of PhilCAS of B.C., are driven by a deep sense of pride and a passion for heritage. This youth-led group fosters cultural awareness among Filipino-Canadians while building connections across borders. 

Tales on tour 
Filipino folk dances are based on stories told by the native tribes, which range from earth-honouring tribal forms to reflecting the Spanish colonial period. PhilCAS's leads, including Rachel, create powerful choreographies that take six months to master and are performed on stages around the world.

Sharing these stories across generations has connected Rachel with audiences locally and internationally through their tours. "Dance is such a special connection because we can express it even miles and miles away from our native land. The Philippines has three main cultural tapestries – Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao – and our vision is to weave together Asian, traditional Filipino, and Muslim influences into a performance that not only showcases these cultures but truly engages the audience". 

Serving strong

"In the Filipino community, everyone is very interconnected. We contribute, we serve. It's been a great pleasure of ours for the last 20 years to be able to keep the community engaged". Having joined PhilCAS as a teen, Rachel holds a special bond with her cousins and school friends through their dance. The community's unity stems from their shared memories, talents, and a strong commitment to helping one another.

Romina adds that resilience in the Filipino community stretches all the way from health care to social justice. Their intentions are always to bring people together to make the world more collaborative.

UBC Kung Fu Association is the university's oldest martial arts social club, offering students a dynamic blend of Sanda, Wushu, and Lion Dance. The club fosters cultural appreciation, mental well-being, and a strong sense of community for all students. Anna Jing and Coco Chen, newly elected student presidents, share the values that drew them to learning and performing the Lion Dance. 

Roaring with confidence 
Anna recalls growing up as a shy, introverted girl who found her confidence when she started learning the Lion Dance. The foundation for this dance form comes from Wushu, a contemporary Kung Fu sport, which involves strong core stances and fluid movements, giving the performer a unique inner strength. 

For both Anna and Coco, learning a dance derived from martial arts was the key to unlocking a deeper sense of self. Coco recalls, "I started martial arts at a really young age. What started as a simple sport ended up giving me a sense of hope and personal improvement".

The lion and his pride
For many Asian Canadians or Asian immigrants, growing up in a mostly western world meant feeling torn between two cultures. But the annual events and festivals bridge that gap, offering a deeper connection to their heritage.

Anna and Coco, along with their Lion Dance team, come together to perform at the Lunar New Year celebration and regard that as the most fulfilling and rewarding experience. "We interact with other Chinese like elders and members of the community, and we are able to see the importance of our Chinese culture and heritage". 

Mandala Arts & Cultural Society was founded by Jai Govinda in 1999 to create a space for Indian classical dance, mainly bharata natyam, in Canada. Kiruthika Rathanaswami, Artistic Director of Mandala, continues to build on the school's vision to enrich Canada's cultural landscape with the depth and beauty of South Indian dance traditions.

Making a home in Canada
"I'm very Canadian and I'm very South Indian." Born in Tamil Nadu, the birth place of bharat natyam, and raised in B.C., Kiruthika expresses how the dance has bridged her two cultures and provided a sense of community. 

Her student Veena shared similar sentiments about how Mandala Arts eased her parents' worry about her losing their cultural identity after moving to Canada. "When I came here and started dancing when I was eight. I think it really gave me a connection to my family back home". 

Dancing into the spotlight
Mandala Arts and Culture follows a structured dance curriculum that takes students six to seven years to graduate. Kiruthika appreciates that there are a lot of choreographers and teachers in the region from various backgrounds and ethnicities pushing the boundaries and taking bharat natyam forward. 

The presence for this dance form is expanding with Mandala graduates collaborating with a lot of mainstream festivals and programs every year. Kiruthika credits the technique taught at this school that gives an artist a strong foundation to build up on with their own creative expression and tell a story.

VanCity Dance, founded by Kabeer Panesar and Karan Virdi in 2017, is a vibrant Vancouver community centered on bhangra, fostering confidence, creativity, and connection for all ages. This club is rooted in unity, love, and self-expression empowering members as artists and leaders.

From beats to bhangra
Kabeer and Karan connected with us over their shared love for bhangra and how it began with the beat of the dhol – a drum sound that connected them to their roots. After 5 years of competitive bhangra, the duo started a dance school, Vancity Dance, to build a vibrant community around the shared joy of bhangra.

"We didn't just want to teach dance, we wanted to build a place where people feel they belong. bhangra gave us that, and we wanted to pass it on". Today, they say, VanCity Dance is more than just a studio, it's a cultural hub that keeps traditions alive for all ages. 

Keeping in tune with the next generation 
The dynamic duo keeps this traditional folk dance relevant to youth by mixing it up with popular and upbeat Punjabi tunes that celebrate their cultural heritage. 

"A lot of us see our culture through music. You're hearing a lot of popular mainstream music being encompassed with bhangra and Punjabi music. When the kids come together to dance to the music, it creates a real sense of unity between us. And when we share it on stage, we see the love from the wider community". 

Click here to learn more about the talented 2025 Asian Heritage Month dance groups.