Skip to main content

Dancing At Duke

Keval Kaur Khalsa teaches dance classes as director of Duke's Dance Program

Keval Kaur Khalsa, strikes a yoga pose inside Duke's dance studio on Hull Avenue. Photo by Bryan Roth.
Keval Kaur Khalsa, strikes a yoga pose inside Duke's dance studio on Hull Avenue. Photo by Bryan Roth.

Name: Keval Kaur KhalsaPosition: Associate professor of the practice and director, Dance ProgramYears at Duke: 23 years

What I do at Duke is: I serve Duke's Dance Program as the director, which I've been doing for four years. I teach different levels of modern dance technique, Kundalini yoga and Sikh Dharma. and occasionally others. I also serve on Duke's Council for the Arts to increase the visibility and cultural viability of arts at Duke.

If I had $5 million, I would: Donate it to a couple organizations. I'm involved with Y.O.G.A. for Youth - the Y.O.G.A. stands for Your Own Greatness Affirmed. This is a national non-profit organization, and we have a chapter that works to bring the tools of yoga to underserved youth here in the Triangle and expose them to meditation and help them deal with stress, academic performance, focus and behavioral stability. The other half would go to a local grassroots organization I work with, the North Carolina Waste Awareness and Reduction Network. I'm also concerned about global warming and the way we make and use energy. 

My first ever job was: It was at a restaurant at Yellowstone National Park as a summer job. I worked as a server and waitress after my first and second year of college.

My dream job is: Being a park ranger. I love being around lots of trees and water, so it'd be wonderful to spend time outdoors in beautiful places. I love the Appalachians. It'd be great to be up in the Smoky Mountains somewhere.

If someone wanted to start a conversation with me they should ask me about: I get lots of conversation starters from strangers who say, "I like your hat." I usually say "thank you" and tell them it's not actually a hat, but a turban. Then I get to tell them that I wear a turban because I am a Sikh, and usually this opens up a conversation about the Sikh faith. 

The best advice I ever received: My spiritual teacher, Yogi Bhajan, had a lot of advice. One really simply phrase is "keep up and you will be kept up." To me, that means no matter how overwhelming things get, I need to remember to take long deep breaths and spend some time each day with my own personal, spiritual practice to keep my foundation. That practice will keep me up. The Universe will provide.

What I love about Duke: My colleagues in the Dance Program. It's a terrific faculty because they're all wonderful professional artists and scholars, committed to their students and committed to making the program exceptional. I also value the ability to shape our curriculum and be inventive in shaping courses.

When I'm not at work, I like to: Teach yoga in the community, go to the Durham Farmers Market and just piddling around in my garden. I love pulling weeds.

If I could have one superpower, it would be: I'd love to have a magic wand that I could wave, and it would help people instantly relax and laugh. We're all under such stress and pressure, so it's easy to lose your ability to relax and just enjoy life.