Theresa May dancing 'The Maybot' in South Africa on school visit in Cape Town

Jacob Jarvis28 August 2018

Theresa May was filmed awkwardly dancing during a school visit in Cape Town on the first day of her trade trip to Africa.

Clad in a bright red blazer the UK leader shuffled along, shifting her feet forward and swaying her hands near her hips as a choir of schoolchildren sang.

Mrs May smiled broadly as she shuffled from side-to-side at the ID Mkize School in Cape Town.

Speaking to pupils afterwards, she said: "Can I thank all those young people who were involved in the performances outside who welcomed me."

She also joined in a second dance during her visit as she embarked on her latest Africa trip, which began on Tuesday.

The Prime Minister's rhythmic moves received a lot of attention on social media, with many saying she was "dad dancing".

One person wrote: “I’m watching this through my fingers #daddancing.”

The school the PM danced at in Cape Town is twinned with Whitby High School in Yorkshire.

Another said: “I thought I had left feet.”

Mrs May was also likened to a robot, with a GIF of Futurama character Bender, a metallic robot, dancing being shared online in response to her moves.

One questioned why it mattered how well she danced and wrote: “How is this important? She’s not auditioning for Strictly.”

The school trip was used to announce more places on a scholarship, helping those with the desire come to the UK for university.

The prime minister is visiting South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya on a trade mission.

In an assembly, the PM said: "What I see before me in this hall today is the future of South Africa."

"I'd like to think that some of you, when you get older, if you're thinking of going to university that you might think of coming to one of our great universities in the UK.

"We've got a programme, it's called the Chevening scholarship, which helps people to do that and I'm pleased to say today we're announcing that we're going to open up scholarships to 100 more of Africa's brightest young people."

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