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This is what happens when you call the Gwara Gwara the stanky leg
Rihanna lit up the Grammy stage last night with her performance of “Wild Thoughts” with DJ Khaled, but it was her final dance move, the local Gwara Gwara, that really tickled South African senses.
So when US-based publication Vulture.com called the move the stanky leg, it was met with an appropriate level of ire.
Do the stanky leg. pic.twitter.com/nDPJFmY1zb
— Vulture (@vulture) January 29, 2018
While the stanky leg adopts a similar stance, it is not the Gwara Gwara. The former sees the dancer move their leg in a circular motion and then alternate to the opposite leg. The local Gwara Gwara is a more linear movement from left to right and involves the arm. It does not alternate.
Twitter users were quick to point out Vulture’s mistake. One warned of the danger of frustrated Joburgers, another called for respect.
Fam, you bout to get the whole of Jo-Burg 🇿🇦 in your house tonight, you better post an edit to fix this…
— A You Get Di Gold (@SoSpecialKay7) January 29, 2018
Its a South African dance called Gwara gwara, started by Dj Bongs… RESPECT US!!!!!
— CT SAVE WATER! (@LuthandoRT) January 29, 2018
“Ask before you give our dance style your name,” wrote user @MohlatlegoMakh2.
Wena hey!? That’s called the “Gwara-Gwara”. Ask before you give our dance style your name. pic.twitter.com/Y2ovdPlWOJ
— Yacine KinDreD (@MohlatlegoMakh2) January 29, 2018
A quote tweet that grew even more popular than the original labelled the publication an “uncultured swine”.
this is the gwara gwara, a dance from South Africa you uncultured swine 🙄 https://t.co/O8rh0zhiFi
— Nne. (@nneomaluxe) January 29, 2018
The majority called for the Vulture to delete the tweet.
y’all might wanna delete this pic.twitter.com/gtfVykFspa
— mafalda bitch (@maniskordaze) January 29, 2018
— Dash (@Dashint0n) January 29, 2018
Throw this entire page away.
— Chakena. (@kena1019) January 29, 2018
US writer Roxane Gay, perhaps best known for her essay collection Bad Feminist, also took the time to call the publication out.
That’s not the stanky leg tho
— roxane gay (@rgay) January 29, 2018
It’s not every day that South African dance moves make it to the global stage, so when it does, you best make sure you don’t undermine that achievement.
Catch the full performance below.
