The internet has seen some incredible dance fads in recent years. Who can forget the Haarlem Shake, 2013’s fascination with twerking, or more recently the #InMyFeelings challenge?
Now, UK Prime Minister Theresa May has become the centre of the latest.
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During her recent visit to a host of African countries, May first donned her dancing shoes at a school in Cape Town, bopping with a number of kids who actually understood rhythm.
Former UK Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott called May’s interpretation the “Maybot”.
I assume she’s doing the Maybot pic.twitter.com/xuWZICGRD5
— John Prescott (@johnprescott) August 28, 2018
She then arrived in Kenya, while onlookers tried wholeheartedly to look impressed. They didn’t do a very good job.
Theresa May filmed dancing again on her African trip pic.twitter.com/Zq4vXTpV07
— The Independent (@Independent) August 30, 2018
Theresa May and her moves then trended across the world from 27 August, with Google search traffic peaking four days later. Notably, May was a big hit in Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Ghana. But “Theresa May dancing” received notable attention on South African’s and Kenya’s search bars.
On 1 September, the meme was officially born on Twitter.
#TheresaMayChallenge appears on Twitter as early as July 2016, but it has more recently been used by Twitter users to channel their inner rhythmless newborn gazelle.
Me and The Princess doing the #TheresaMayChallenge The things my daughter forces me to do
pic.twitter.com/HDS8lavlJW — Trevor Ncube (@TrevorNcube) September 1, 2018
Theresa May busts ne moves in ZIMBABWE #TheresaMayChallenge pic.twitter.com/2Oo9ejCjQy
— Elisha Buffet (@ElishaBuffet) September 1, 2018
The hashtag, although not trending on Twitter, is still receiving new tweets.
I’m sorry but the #TheresaMayChallenge just killed me
— unknown. (@Baka_nowiz) September 3, 2018
While its as awkward as it is hilarious, Theresa May’s dance skills (or lack thereof) probably won’t outlast the likes of the steamrolling #InMyFeelings challenge, which continues to get multiple participants across the world injured.
What it will do though is teach generations of future leaders how not to feature on Reddit’s r/cringe.
Feature image: Number 10 via Flickr (Public Domain)
