Spin doctors: How the flow arts created India’s smooth new subculture

Rewind to the pandemic, when a clip of Eshna Kutty, dancing to Genda Phool in a sari and sneakers while twirling a hula hoop, went viral in September 2020. The two-minute video (@EshnaKutty on Instagram) showed Kutty gracefully, joyfully spinning her hoop on her torso, moving it seamlessly to her arms, neck and even feet. It notched more than 2.3 million views. Almost overnight, the hoop went from being a fitness tool, a child’s plaything, to a gateway into an Instaworthy art form for homebound Indians.