Social media has seen an explosion of classical reinterpretations of Michael Jackson’s dance steps ever since his biopic ‘Michael’ hit the screens. The videos are often a fusion or adaptation of his iconic steps into classical dance forms such as Bharatanatyam and Odissi. But the video by Swetha Warrier and team stands out.
MJ’s song ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’ was presented in the Street O’ Classical style that Swetha has popularised over the years . The video, which has amassed 6.2 million views and counting, features Swetha with eight other dancers in traditional Bharatanatyam costume, fusing graceful classical footwork and mudras with groovy isolations and moves from hip-hop .
Jaafar Jackson, who played Michael in the biopic, is among those who have “loved” the video with clap and heart emojis .
“The fact that he saw it was a huge thing for us,” says Swetha, who belongs to Kodungallur in Thrissur district .
Inspired by MJ, choosing the unexpected
Brought up in Mumbai where she is currently settled, Swetha says that the movie was the inspiration to come up with the video.
“But more than that I felt that it is my obligation, my responsibility to do something for him. He has influenced every dancer; I feel I owe him for what he has given us. Usually an idea strikes me and I work around it. But this video came out because I was inspired to do it,” says Swetha, who took around four days to work on the choreography .
She says it was a conscious decision to not take his popular songs like ‘Beat it’ or ‘Dangerous’. “I wanted a song less used by the dancers in competitions or shows. I also liked the lyrics,” she says .
The birth of ‘Street O’ Classical’
Swetha says that the style evolved as she grew up.
“We all have been exposed to Indian culture and classical art and dance forms. At the same time we can’t help but get influenced by Western elements as well. That happened organically for me. I felt that was me. I could be free and communicate the art the way I want to and the way I relate to. The blend has become my identity,” she explains .
The style merges the nritta, nritya, and natya elements of Bharatanatyam with the grooves, musicality, and ideas of street dance styles . Swetha stresses that she does not want to take the credit for creating the dance style.
“The world is so huge that somewhere someone must have done it. But I can say for sure that I am not inspired by anyone. This is my lifestyle,” she says .
A lineage of classical arts
Classical dance is in her blood – her grandfather, RP Warrier, was a Kathakali artiste, and she learnt Bharatanatyam from her mother, Ambika Warasiar .
“Besides Bharatanatyam, I learnt hip-hop as well. The fusion happened naturally along the way. In fact, I have been doing this from childhood, when I took part in reality shows on Malayalam television,” she says, referring to her stints in dance reality shows such as Super Dancer and D4Dance . She was also a contestant on Dance India Dance and later the second runner-up on India’s Best Dancer .
While the fusion style has gained her widespread fame, Swetha admits that she has faced criticism for it.
“People were offended more with my Hanumankind and MJ videos because we were in traditional dance attire. Had we worn another costume, the backlash would not have happened,” she says .
From stage to screen: Acting debut
Meanwhile, she is all set to make her debut as an actor with the Malayalam movie, ‘Merri Boys’ , produced by Listin Stephen and directed by debutant Mahesh Maanas .
“It is a female-centric, fun movie with Aishwarya Raj playing the lead. When I had come down to Thiruvananthapuram to shoot for Hanumankind’s track, one of the dancers was auditioning for the movie. I tagged along and before I knew it, I got shortlisted. It was a surprise,” she recalls .
Now she is dividing her time between creating dance content for her social media handle, besides doing live shows, workshops, and curating dance shows .
