The highly anticipated Game of Thrones Season 7 premiered on Sunday, July 16 breaking HBO records with 16.1 million viewers. With a whole week until the next episode, you might need a little entertainment to satisfy your craving of the music, drama, and excitement. We’ve got a Game of Thrones inspired video that will do just that.
The Mayura Dance Academy in Pleasantville has made a dance video choreographed to the Game of Thrones theme song with a twist; it’s an Indian classical fusion arrangment from comtemporary composer Mahesh Raghvan.
Ramya Gunashekar-Allan, founder and director of Mayura Dance Academy, has been learning Bharata Natyam since the age of 2, and now teaches Indian dance classes in both Westchester and Connecticut. She is a huge fan of the HBO hit fantasy and immediately knew she could combine both her passions to create a graceful dance piece after hearing the song.
Gunashekar-Allan isn’t the only fan of the show: All of the dancers in the video, who are also teachers at the academy, watch Game of Thrones passionately.
“We were so enthusiastic in participating in this dance as it connected both their love for the show, but also their passion for Bharata Natyam dance,” says Gunashekar-Allan.
The mission of the school is to keep the art form of Indian dance alive and appealing through creative dance pieces, like the Game of Thrones choreography. Much of Gunashekar-Allan’s career has been teaching traditional choreography, which she mixes into dance pieces for everyone to enjoy. While this sort of choreographic fusion can be quite challenging, the Game of Thrones composition displays a unique cross-cultural connection not typically found in traditional Bharata Natyam pieces.
“It was both fun and challenging to be able to take something modern and add a traditional influence to it,” says Gunashekar-Allan.
- Partner Content -
|
Gunashekar-Allan chose to shoot the video at the Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown because of the majestic setting that fits with the show’s theme. Since the series is known for its elaborate wardrobe and sets, the mansion was the ideal backdrop to create a clear connection.
“The castle creates an aura of mystery and the sense of going back in time,” says Gunashekar-Allan. “With this backdrop, we felt that we could connect to the show and truly get the effect that we wanted.”
If you’re wondering whether or not there will be more videos like this one from the Mayura Dance Academy, the answer is yes. According to Gunashekar-Allan, this is only the first piece with many more to come in the future.