How this Regina engineer finds balance and connection through dance

This story is part of a CBC Saskatchewan series showcasing movers and shakers for Asian Heritage Month in May. For more on this project, visit cbc.ca/lovesk. 

By day, Noor Tajik is solving problems as a municipal engineer. In her free time, the Regina dancer applies her critical thinking skills to her work as a choreographer.

"I always tell people I'm a great choreographer because I'm a great engineer," she said, noting that both aspects of her work mean zeroing in on minor errors and fixing them. Attention to detail pays off.

"That's what engineers do. They like to fix problems." 

As part of her choreography side gig, Tajik has travelled and worked with influential artists, including Indian singer, actor and film producer Diljit Dosanjh and Parth Dani, the founder of the Bollywood Dance School Canada, who also collaborated with her in creating a music video for Punjabi rap artist Sultaan.

"Even though I am a full-time engineer, and I have all these other commitments, there's that sense of joy that comes with [dance]," she said. "There's that sense of nostalgia that keeps me going with dance." 

Tajik grew up in Mississauga, where she learned several styles of dance including hip hop, Afro beats, Afro house and dancehall. But the soundtrack of Bollywood was a continual presence, with her parents having come to Canada from Pakistan and keeping that part of the culture alive in their household.

"My mom said she'd always catch me dancing growing up, following the steps, singing the songs," Tajik said, laughing as she recalled how she and her best friend used to copy the moves of the elaborate dance sequences that are a hallmark of Indian films, while also mixing in their own hip hop moves.

When she began studying at the University of Regina, dance helped her connect with people in the local community, which saw her pivot from dancing herself, to teaching and then choreographing. Dance helped stave off feelings of being displaced and isolated after her move.

"It felt like [being] back home with my childhood best friend, being like, 'Hey, can I learn this dance with you?' There's that connection there," she said.

At times, Tajik's parents expressed concern about her splitting focus from her engineering studies to dance.

"They sacrificed so much to come here and they did it so we could have a safe place to be, so we could be successful — have a solid job, have a solid education, be safe, have some security," she said. 

But when she stopped dancing and started focusing just on her studies, her grades began slipping.

"So then they noticed, 'OK, this is probably important to her,'" Tajik said, adding her parents encouraged her to "just find the balance."

"I think it was a good reminder because it did keep me grounded, but then it also disciplined me in both dance and school."

To this day, maintaining the balance between her engineering work and her choreography brings her joy.

• Read our other stories celebrating Asian Heritage Month here.

On a recent Sunday afternoon, Tajik worked with dancer Tessa Rae Kuz on a piece that will be performed in Regina as part of a May 25 evening featuring South Asian classical music. 

Kuz noted working with Tajik has opened her world to "different beats, different rhythms, different steps that I didn't have in my training growing up." 

It not only expands her practice as a dancer, but is part of how people are exchanging their cultural practices, she said.

"I think sharing dances and being able to exchange cross-culturally is… very powerful," Kuz said.

Tajik said there's an openness to mixing and crossing dance styles.

While she loves working with people like Kuz and Dani, her parents are also ready collaborators and cheerleaders, offering her input on her dances or song selections.

"I know they're really proud of me and I don't think I could do half of what I'm doing without them," she said.

Tajik said she's grateful for how her parents made it possible for her to explore her creativity and passions.

"I definitely think that they see a little bit of themselves through me in a creative way that they might have not done themselves. So I think that they enjoy it — or I hope they enjoy it."