Dancer merges 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' elements with traditional Indian dance and it's amazing
The two work together so well.
Her entire channel is amazing.
Bharatanatyam is the oldest form of traditional Indian dance, dating back thousands of years. “Avatar: The Last Airbender” is a beloved animated series from the mid 2000s. A dancer merged the two together and it’s pretty much the coolest thing ever.
Naomi Namboodiripad has trained for several years in a variety of styles, including Bharatanatyam. Originally only performed by solo female temple dancers as a sacred devotion, this traditional form is dramatic, expressive and meant to tell a story—using rhythmic movements, pantomiming or a combination of both.
These aspects lend themselves well to recreating the iconic opening sequence to “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” which uses different martial arts techniques symbolizing the four fictional elemental tribes of earth, water, air and fire.
Here’s a refresher of what that looks like. I bet you can’t just watch it once.
"Avatar: The Last Airbender" Theme Song (HQ) | Episode Opening Credits | Nick Animationwww.youtube.com
Namboodiripad did her own version of this intro, using elements of traditional Indian dance, and created something truly spectacular.
Everything from Namboodiripad’s movement, to gorgeous wardrobe changes, to clever camera angles was absolutely brilliant—and people took notice.
Here are just a few gems from the literal thousands of loving comments:
“I'm still not over how beautiful the outfits are and how they compliment the movements.”
“THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL, MY INNER CHILD WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE THIS 💚😌”
“This gave me chills lol”
@naomi.nambo Replying to @Raahi @Naomi Namboodiripad here is an extended version! #dance #avatar #atla #elements #air #water #earth #fire #bharatanatyam #mohiniyattam #kuchipudi #trending #indian #southasian #desi #acting #culture #performance #costume #makeup #jewelry ♬ Avatar the Last Airbender - juanito
“Earth and water are Bharatanatyam, air is Mohiniyattam, and fire is Kuchipudi,” Namboodiripad explained, noting the different styles used for each element in the comments section.
Ironically, Bharatanatyam is also known as a “fire dance” but was not used to portray fire in the video. Its focus on clear lines makes it a great fit for earth and water. Namboodiripad told Upworthy that both the "groundedness" and "versatility" made it a good fit for the two elements.
Mohiniyattam, on the other hand, is characterized by graceful, circular movements, or "relaxed," as Namboodiripad puts it—making it perfect to embody the light, flowing essence of air.
Kuchipudi might have been tied to the earth element when it originated, but those hand moves Namboodiripad used simply scream “fire.” In a bold, cool way, mind you. Not a “there’s an emergency” kind of way. Guess that's why Namboodiripad says there's a "bright but dangerous quality" to the form.Namboodiripad shared with Upworthy that "Avatar" and traditional Indian dance might have more connecting ties than one might initially think. "I noticed that growing up Indian in a western country that most cartoons did not have the element of diversity and lacked explorations of different cultures and values. However, 'Avatar' broke that cycle, and I found that I not only enjoyed the immense world building and engaging plot, but the cultural and spiritual elements as well.
"'Avatar' has many ideas of Hinduism—the name itself originates from Hinduism—and Indian classical dance is rooted in Hindu mythology as well," she continued. "Considering the connections between the two pieces of art, I decided that I wanted to combine 'Avatar' and Indian classical dance to provide the South Asian representation that was missing from the show and to reach the audience that 'Avatar' has, but most importantly, express storytelling and showcase my culture through a multimedia platform with dance, music, and film."
Although Namboodiripad’s Indian-styled Avatar dance is a fan favorite, she has all kinds of videos showcasing how delightful expressive traditional Indian dances are.
Here’s one where she dances as different animals. Mouse is kind of my fave.
@naomi.nambo Replying to @idontcareanymore1111222 some animals, like the tiger, have the same mudra (hand gesture) as lion - so it depends on context #dance #animals #acting #indian #desi #fyp #turtle #culture #emotion #story ♬ Mohiniyattam - Hridya Chintan
Animals play a large role in Hindu mythology and were often given the status of gods or goddesses. According to an article in The Indian Express, “many postures in Indian classical dance are based on those of animals.”
Here’s another one where Namboodiripad does an acting challenge—portraying different emotions using only facial expressions.
@naomi.nambo Reply to @fresh_mint_tea trying this challenge using Navarasas and Mudras (facial emotions and hand gestures from Indian classical dance) #trending #actingchallenge #cake #dance #melaniemartinez #bharatanatyam #kuchipudi #mohiniyattam #indian #desi #culture #fyp ♬ Cake - Spedupluvr
You can see how exaggerated each navarasa (or mood) is on her face, so that every mood can clearly be conveyed, even from a distance.
Of course, one of her most popular videos (with more than 1.6 millions views) is simply showing off her performance jewelry. Because it’s awesome.
@naomi.nambo Replying to @niyah.fr full performance look! #dance #mohiniyattam #performance #makeup #jewelry #outfit #costume #flowers #indian #desi #southasian #fyp #trending #culture ♬ original sound - Naomi Namboodiripad
Considering how much of the face and hands are used in traditional Indian dances, it makes sense that most of the bedazzling would go there. Plus anklets with bells on them for next-level stomping.
Here's another fun one, featuring death:
@naomi.nambo This was highly requested, so here are some ways to show death 💀 #dance #indian #desi #southasian #bharatanatyam #kuchipudi #mohiniyattam #culture ♬ Indian music - Hollywood Labo
Whether Namboodiripad gives us straight-up traditional dances or something with a modern spin, it’s incredible to see. This is the beauty of creative expression … there’s always so much to be inspired by.
- A former ballerina with Alzheimer's hears 'Swan Lake' and bursts ... ›
- Lebanese dance troupe wins "AGT"'s Golden Buzzer - Upworthy ›
- Lunar New Year gets funky—watch this amazing Asian dance group ... ›
- Black Irish dancer performs Megan Thee Stallion's 'Savage' - Upworthy ›
- 14-year-old wows AGT with her 'Mad World' dance - Upworthy ›
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids…
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie?
A brown buddha statue sits near a green mountain. Photo by 
Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
Ladybug unexpectedly found during colonoscopyPhoto credit: 
Close-up of bottom of ladybug found in colonPhoto credit: 
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."