The siblinghood of the dancing pants

KOCHI: Two faces. Two pairs of limbs. Double the same is how you can describe Kochi natives Anette Jacob, Nicole Jacob, Antohn Jacob and Gregor Jacob, now known as Ft.Four on Instagram. The two pairs of identical twins and siblings have taken over the social media platform with their dancing feet and effortless synchronisation during the lockdown. Having started with what seems like a random dance video, nearly three months and 10 dance videos later, Ft.Four has 12.1k views (and still counting) with one video amassing more than 1 lakh likes. Viewers and followers are astounded by the immense talent the twins possess while also being intrigued by their resemblances.

Eldest among the four, 25-year-old architecture students Nicole and Anette flew down to Kochi from Milan, Italy, in the first week of March when the pandemic was just about to rear its horns. “We were probably among the safest groups to land right before Covid-19 hit. Back then the quarantine period was 28 days. After weeks of boredom, we decided to create something during the lockdown. Honestly, our initial plan was to exercise but a regular workout routine wouldn’t work for us, therefore we decided to settle on choreographing a dance routine. My sister and I used to attend dance classes while at school—our brothers aren’t trained but they used to dance with us as children,” says Nicole. Twenty-year-old Antohn studies BBA while Gregor is a civil engineering student in Kochi.

Their first video was inspired by choreography by The Williams Family, four dancing brothers from a family of six. Excluding two videos, the siblings choreographed the rest. “When my sister and I went for our undergraduate studies, there was a long break. We’re aware that all of us have different body languages and styles when we dance but we practice and try to make it as close as possible,” quips Nicole.
As the four couldn’t decide on uploading the video to their individual pages, they eventually decided to create a common one. “Initially, our followers comprised our family and friends -- we’re four people and so we have four different friend circles. Of late, we have been getting new followers; the support and messages have been incredible and overwhelming. Those make our day and keep us going. The best part about Ft.Four is being able to make others happy with our videos,” highlights Nicole.

While the sets of twins make dancing look like art, parents Jacob and Jaya Jacob who own a software company in Kadavanthra add to the illusion behind the scenes. “All of us look forward to choreographing and shooting days as the entire family is involved in the same. My parents play a massive role; they handle the camera and the music—all the effects, the zoom-ins and outs. They take time off work and have always been encouraging. We owe a lot to them,” says Nicole.

When questioned if the onset atmosphere was pleasant and disciplined, Nicole laughs and says that everyone is equally dedicated to dance. “Dance and probably food are the only things that the four of us can agree to. My brothers sing and my sister and I have an artistic side to us. All of us have different rising/sleeping patterns and attention spans but when it comes to dance, everyone contributes equally,” she says.

What happens to Ft.Four once the pandemic subsides and the sisters leave for Milan? “That’s the saddest part. However, we have a long vacation in August and we plan to create a lot of videos and make the best of it. A lot of things are being added to our hitherto non-existent lists. For now, we’re staying in the present,” adds Nicole.