From mudras to moonwalks: Swetha Warrier’s Michael Jackson tribute goes viral

Chennai: Classical reinterpretations of Michael Jackson’s dance moves have flooded social media since his biopic Michael hit theatres. Dancers are fusing his iconic steps with forms like Bharatanatyam and Odissi.

One video by Swetha Warrier and team is standing out. Warrier presented Jackson’s The Way You Make Me Feel in her signature Street O’ Classical style, a format she has popularized over the years.

The video has amassed 6.2 million views and counting. It features Warrier with eight other dancers in traditional Bharatanatyam costumes. The choreography blends classical footwork and mudras with hip-hop isolations and grooves.

Jaafar Jackson, who played Michael in the biopic, reacted to the video with clap and heart emojis. His response added momentum to the clip’s reach online.

Warrier’s work is part of a wider trend of classical dancers reimagining pop choreography for Indian audiences. Her Street O’ Classical approach keeps the grammar of Bharatanatyam while opening it to global music and movement vocabularies.