There are good dance performances, great dance performances and dance performances you watch three times in a row and still can’t believe. The latter describes a routine by the Ukrainian duo Valeriy and Yulia. They have become known for jaw-dropping dance performances and a particularly scorching performance has swept the internet.
The dance, set to the Nneka song Heartbeat, has been viewed 10 million times on YouTube and received heaps of praise in the comments. One person exclaimed: “I just watched that with a gaping mouth and every emotion going off inside me, one after the other, like fireworks! By the time it was over my heart was pounding in my chest to the exact beat of the music. Crazy AWESOME! Wow, waiting to exhale!”
So, what makes this dance so awesome? Honestly, it’s not just one thing. The first thing you notice is that Veleriy and Yulia are both exceptional dancers.
They move with strength, grace and precision, dancing each step beautifully with every inch of their bodies. They aren’t just dancers, though. The pair have trained in acrobatics meaning they can add an extra element of complexity to their performances and this is where the heat starts to rise. The couple wraps themselves around each other, as close as lovers and at times you feel like you’re watching a private moment between them. It creates a chemistry that sizzles in the air like electricity.
It is reminiscent of the dance that pop singer P!nk does in the music video to her song Try. It evokes passion, romance, tenderness and longing. It transforms a great dance into one you can’t take your eyes off. Once the acrobatics section starts in earnest, your eyes will be glued to the screen for a different reason.
Valeriy lifts and tosses Yulia into the air as if she weighs nothing; as if he was lifting a rag doll. At one point he throws her so far into the air that she even manages a full 360° flip! Believe it or not, that’s not even the most impressive part of the performance. They are masters of hand-to-hand acrobatics, a discipline that requires both partners to be very strong and flexible with exceptional balance.
The couple demonstrates this when Valeriy lifts Yulia above his head. She begins by lifting herself so she is directly above him and then slides her legs apart to perform the splits upside down. Then, incredibly, she transitions into a handstand above his head. Yes, you read that right. Yulia is balancing only on Valeriy’s hands and he is bearing her whole body weight on his arms.
It’s an unbelievable thing to witness already so it’s impossible not to gasp when they remove their left hands. Yulia must trust Valeriy completely to even attempt this move. She is balanced, feet from the ground and completely upside down balanced solely on her partner’s hand. His upper body strength and her core must be out of this world. You really must watch these exceptional performers right now, it is not to be missed