With their sleek, razor-sharp movements and effortless synchronisation, all-woman group The Vixens Crew have built a reputation as a dance powerhouse. Their performances often draw attention even on social media, as much for their choreography as for their carefully put-together looks and coordinated costumes. But this time, it was not the usual six-member crew – Medha Naidu, Anushka Anand, Megha J, Bhavana V, Ketaki Vaze and Vibha Vinod Shekhar – taking centre stage. Eleven dancers came together, and as the opening beats of Madhuri Dixit’s Jhanak Jhanak from Aaja Nachle played, ‘a pleasant surprise’ unfolded with a lot of thumka. The Vixens had joined hands with Norwegian dance crew Quick Style in a collaboration that brought two distinct dance identities together. As of Monday, the video shared on Instagram has garnered a whopping 16.7 million views and more than 1.4 million likes.
The latter, who performed in the city as part of their India leg of the Touch Down World Tour last month, returned for the collaboration, making it a special crossover.
The all-woman crew had previously expressed their wish to collaborate with Quick Style, particularly because audiences often compared their dance videos. “It feels surreal. We’ve admired Quick Style for a long time, not just for their dancing but for how they’ve managed to take their culture and individuality to a global audience. We started out watching and learning from artistes like them, and now we’re at a point where we get to share a creative space with them,” says Bhavana.
The process of putting the performance together with the Norwegian dance collective was equally different from their usual routine, as the dancer further shares, “From the moment we met, the energy just felt natural. What made this collaboration different was the whole process of creating choreography on the go. We got to experience a different way of working, adapting to exchanging ideas and figuring things out together in the moment.” She also recalls plenty of laughter and conversations throughout the shoot.
The comparison has followed the team since their formative years online. However, Bhavana says these have never taken away from their individual identity. “Being compared to artistes like Quick Style is something we appreciate. But at the end of the day, we’re two different crews with our own personalities, cultural influences and creative perspectives,” she adds. The Vixens describe Quick Style’s movement as effortless, while their own performances tend to carry a more performance-driven energy. “The common ground for both crews is movement. When you bring two different movement languages together, you’re not losing either identity. You’re creating a whole new language,” she explains.
The Vixens began as a group of college friends who danced together, with no definite plans to turn their passion into a profession. Experiences together and commitment helped them build a sustainable working relationship. Formed in 2023, the group went viral online with a reel where they danced to the tune of People by Libianca. The popularity of their videos has also brought the pressures of working in the digital space. The crew acknowledges the expectation to create content that performs well online; however, chasing virality is not always part of their creative priorities, as Bhavana adds, “Of course, we understand the importance of trends, algorithms and what works online, but we don’t want those things to completely dictate our creativity.” Being an all-women crew in the public eye has also brought its own set of expectations. Over time, they have learnt to distinguish constructive criticism from opinions that restrict their expression. Social media has given them a platform, but the crew is keen to discover other creative spaces where dance can find an audience. Looking ahead, The Vixens hope to explore more international collaborations and take their work into films, fashion, live performances and music.