Usha Jey’s Indian Classical And Hip Hop Fusion Video Goes Viral On The Internet

In a one-of-a-kind blend, Usha Jey, a Sri Lankan based in Paris won the hearts of social media users for her performance which features a hybrid of hip-hop and Indian classical. 

She captions her video, "What the f- though? Where the love go?”, and blends hip-hop with Indian classical dance moves while dancing to Lil Wayne’s Uproar. 

“Love this. Fun to watch, well-executed, joyful, and a small sign of what's possible when we make the effort to connect across cultures,” commented a user on the Twitter video. 

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Usha Jey Viral Video

Earlier she had won the hearts on social media for her performance that featured elements of hip-hop and Bharatanatyam. “I call this #HybridBharatham and this is my way of mixing 2 styles that I love. Hip-Hop will always be my first love, but I have a big affection for Bharatanatyam. I’m not an expert of Bharatanatyam yet, but I will be,” Usha Jey wrote on Instagram while sharing the video in 2020.

Fusion dances are always fun to watch especially when they are Indo-Western. Bharatnatyam is an Indian dance form demonstrated by delicate shifts. Hip Hop on the other hand is a western dance form comprising freestyle moves. 

Usha Jey also has a Master’s in Entrepreneurship and Project Management. Compensating her Tamil roots with her French life each day, not just her dance series, Jey herself is a steadfast millennial hybrid. “I’m focused on Hip-Hop mainly. I love Kuthu (a Tamil folk dance), but I dance that more at parties. And I started Bharathanatyam 3-to 4 years back,” she says in a 2020 interview with Lifestyle Asia. 

When asked about what prompted her to begin learning Indian classical at the age of 20, Usha further added, “It’s a dance that people start young but I started when I was 19-20 years old, which was already a challenge. I always love to watch this dance and thought it was graceful. It is so interesting, so I started to take classes and study it. I don’t care to start something late, I just think that everyone has their time zone. I prefer to do something late than never do it.”