Pantsula is a tradition and also a highly energetic dance form that originated in the black townships of South Africa during the apartheid era.
It developed into a form of social commentary for black South Africans and has undergone several transformations with the country's changing political tides.
It began in Alexandra and Sophiatown, two townships in Johannesburg, as groups of older men engaged in informal street dance competitions.
Pantsula was used as an expression of resistance during the political struggle then occurring against the apartheid government, as well as being used to spread awareness about social issues such as AIDS.
[4] Pantsula is a syncopated, quick-stepping, low to the ground form of dance which evokes the urban street culture of which it is a part of.It is performed by groups of dancers who practice together for many hours each week.
[2] As radios became more readily available, dancers opted for international and US pop music, calling on icons like Michael Jackson as well as rappers including MC Hammer and P Diddy.
[8][9][10] Pantsula dancing is the subject of Tjo Vitjo, a hyper-reality South African TV series created in 2017 by documentarian Vincent Moloi and starring Warren Masemola and Rapulana Seiphemo.