How Norway's popular dance group stole the limelight in Abu Dhabi GP

The Fan Zone at the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix was rocking on Friday evening. The DJ kept playing one hit number after another as fans indulged in several pit stops!

Sometimes they just strolled into the shops selling F1 teams’ caps and jerseys, and sometimes, they stopped just to admire the array of stunning luxury cars on display.

And then suddenly, amid that heady mix of music and F1 magic, there was a hint of commotion in one small pocket of the crowded place with people jostling for space — they all seemed to be in some unofficial race to be in pole position to click a picture with a group of young men.

These young men were not F1 drivers, who at that time, were behind the wheel on the Yas Marina Circuit, trying to record their best time in the evening practice session under the dazzling flood lights.

Those young men revelled in the attention, flashing the victory sign and smiling from ear to ear as people hugged them and posed for pictures.

Well, they were none other than Quick Style, the Norwegian hip-hop dance group which earned global fame following their viral dance video from a wedding in 2022.

When this reporter approached Nasir Sirikhan, one of the founding members of the group, for a quick interview, he checked the media credentials and beamed: “Ah, Khaleej Times. Of course, we can talk. We have done interviews with your paper in the past!”

Nasir said the group planned their Abu Dhabi trip just for the final race of the 2024 F1 season.

“It’s amazing to get an opportunity to watch the race, to meet the people. We love Abu Dhabi, just like we love Dubai. You feel at home here because you see people like you everywhere, no matter where you come from,” he said before revealing his admiration for the unreal skills of F1 drivers.

“We are just super impressed by how they control the car at that speed, it’s like an art. F1 is an amazing combination of super engines and super humans.”

Apart from F1, Nasir, who has Thai roots but whose grandfather was from Pakistan, also follows another sport with a passion.

“I love cricket, there is a cricket culture in my family because of my grandfather,” he said.

“And, you know, I also have a friend in cricket whose name is Virat Kohli,” he laughed.

Remarkably, this group of dancers who met the cricket icon during their India tour, also performed alongside Bollywood superstar Salman Khan at the IIFA awards last year in Abu Dhabi.

"It's difficult to name the best dancer in Bollywood. They are all good. And we have also seen Kohli's dance steps. He is also pretty good as well,” Nasir said.

Nasir, who formed the group with Norwegian-Pakistani twins, Bilal Malik and Suleman Malik, said they never thought they would be showered with so much love by people.

“We formed this in 2003. We were 13-year-old kids, now we are 34 and getting mobbed in public places. We never had that kind of dream, we just wanted to do what we loved. Everything else that came was just a bonus,” he said.

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