British Prime Minister Theresa May’s somewhat stiff dance moves won mixed reviews on Wednesday as she became an unlikely social media star with her “Maybot” manoeuvres. The Prime Minister got into the groove in Cape Town on Tuesday when she was welcomed to South Africa by some dancing schoolchildren. The 61-year-old joined in the fun with some shapes reminiscent of gangly former England footballer Peter Crouch’s robot dance -- before looking up, clocking the cameras and drastically reining it in. The Daily Telegraph newspaper said it was “the exact moment where she loses the will to live” -- the forthcoming avalanche of social media mockery appearing before her very eyes. But before that, just for a few seconds, “we saw who Theresa May really was... just a woman, flapping about in front of some bewildered kids like she was being attacked by eels. “It was without doubt the most human she has ever looked, which is an odd thing to say about a video that looks like a possessed shop mannequin being Tasered.” The Sun compared her to John Travolta with the headline “Mayin’ Alive!” -- but called her performance “toe-curling”. The Daily Mail said the “robotic nature of her game attempts” saw her moves dubbed the “Maybot” on social media. Meanwhile May’s dance made it onto the front page of The Guardian, which called it “an impression of a wobbly fridge”. 2 out of 10 Professional dancer James Jordan gave her performance low marks. “It was embarrassing to watch -- like bad mum dancing,” he told The Sun. “But at least she gave it a go. You have to praise Theresa for trying. I’ll give her two out of 10 for effort -- one point for each leg.” Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May poses with school children during a visit to the ID Mkhize Secondary School in Gugulethu, as part of a working visit to South Africa. (AFP) Referring to a popular BBC celebrity ballroom dancing contest, even May admitted she had not set the dance world on fire. “I think the chances of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ coming calling are pretty minimal,” she told Sky News television, adding: “Everybody was dancing. It was great excitement.” Dance choreographer Arlene Phillips was quoted as saying in the Daily Mail that she would “give her some advice on how to relax, swing her hips -- but most of all, make her look comfortable.” The Times said the way “Twinkle Toes Theresa” had “pawed at the concrete” raised concerns that she “might have stood in something as she stepped out of her car”. In South Africa, The Citizen newspaper said May “put on a brave face” and “joined in with a bit of a Madiba-esque shuffle” in the style of former president Nelson Mandela.<doc-sep>Despite describing her moves as robotic, most are reporting positively on her announcement to increase support to African economies and boost trade with the continent. LONDON - British media has poked fun at United Kingdom leader Theresa May as she attempted to join in dancing with South African schoolchildren in Cape Town. However, despite describing her moves as robotic, most are reporting positively on her announcement to increase support to African economies and boost trade with the continent. WATCH: Theresa May dances with schoolchildren in Cape Town Theresa May should never, ever, ever dance in public again. For the sake of the country, please. We have but a small thread of pride left. A hairs width yes, but it's there. — in this panda bear? !ūüźľ (@MaameBlueWrites) August 29, 2018 Whilst I‚Äôm no fan of @theresa_may , I think it‚Äôs a little cruel to constantly ridicule her. She‚Äôs in her 60‚Äôs... let the woman dance! — Spencer Holmes ūü¶Ö (@spencer8617) August 29, 2018 May used the start of a three-day visit to the continent by insisting trade deals with countries like South Africa will be a prize for "global Britain" after it leaves the European Union. She stressed again that her Brexit stance will enable Britain to maximise trading opportunities around the world. She announced R70bn of extra British support for African economies to kick-start the process. May is also visiting Nigeria and Kenya but will return home to face questions over her leadership and vision of Brexit from outside and within her own party. In a speech in Cape Town, May said she wanted Britain to become the biggest investor in Africa out of the Group of Seven nations, overtaking the United States, by using the aid budget to help British companies invest on the continent. The government has held out the prospect of increased trade with non-European Union countries as one of the major selling points of Brexit as it prepares to leave the bloc, currently its biggest trading partner, in March next year. In April, Britain hosted a meeting of Commonwealth countries, including South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria, seeking to reinvigorate the network of mostly former colonies and drum up new trade amongst its members. May recommitted to maintaining the overall British aid budget at 0.7% of economic output but said she would use it in a way that helped Britain. ‚ÄúI am unashamed about the need to ensure that our aid programme works for the UK,‚ÄĚ May said. ‚ÄúToday I am committing that our development spending will not only combat extreme poverty, but at the same time tackle global challenges and support our own national interest.‚ÄĚ Britain‚Äôs overseas aid last year was $18 billion. The budget has come under fire from many of May‚Äôs own lawmakers, who say it is too high and should be spent elsewhere or in Britain itself. May, who was accompanied by a delegation of British business executives, also said Britain would work with African states to tackle insecurity and migration by creating jobs. Additional reporting by Reuters. (Edited by Shimoney Regter)<doc-sep>Theresa May has been filmed dancing with schoolchildren in Cape Town on the first day of her visit to Africa – a trip she hopes will boost trade ties ahead of Brexit. The South African government posted a video on Twitter showing the prime minister being welcomed by students dancing and singing at Mkhize Senior Secondary school. In the footage, Ms May is seen shuffling left and right and smiling at the pupils before being led towards the school building by officials. Ms May's 'Maybot' dancing divided judgements on social media. "I’m here for all the May dancing. Incredible," one Twitter user wrote. However, one rather less kind critic commented: "Theresa May dances like she’s had her freedom of movement surgically removed." The prime minister’s moves came ahead of a speech in Cape Town in which she promised to use the UK’s aid budget to help private British companies invest more in Africa than competitors from any other country. Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Show all 39 1 /39 Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures British Prime Minister Theresa May reviews a military guard of honour at the State House in Nairobi. May wraps up a three day tour of Africa in Kenya as she seeks to drum up post-Brexit deals before quitting the European Union on a continent which has increasingly looked elsewhere for trade and investment AFP/Getty Images Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May in breaks into dance whilst meeting with scouts at the United Nations offices in Nairobi on the third day of her visit to Africa PA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May in breaks into dance whilst meeting with scouts at the United Nations offices in Nairobi on the third day of her visit to Africa PA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May in breaks into dance whilst meeting with scouts at the United Nations offices in Nairobi on the third day of her visit to Africa PA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May dancing with students and staff at ID Mkize Secondary School in Cape Town PA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May meets charity workers at a Salvation Army centre in Lagos, where modern slavery was discussed PA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the State House in Nairobi to meet with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta PA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta welcomes Theresa May AP Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta address a press conference at the state house in Nairobi Reuters Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May with the President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta at the State House in Nairobi PA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the State House in Nairobi, to meet the President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta, on the third day of her visit to Africa. PA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May meets Nigerian President Buharia at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Nigeria EPA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May arrives in Abuja, Nigeria, on day two of her trip to Africa PA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May arrives in Abuja, Nigeria on day two of her trip to Africa Reuters Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May arrives in Abuja, Nigeria on day two of her trip to Africa Reuters Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Nigerian President Buhari and Theresa May watch as the Nigerian Budget and National Planning Minister and the British Trade Policy Minister sign a bilateral agreement on Nigerian trade development EPA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May meets South African president Cyril Ramaphosa at DeTuynhuys Presidential Palace in Cape Town PA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May meets students and staff at ID Mkize Secondary School in Cape Town, which is twinned with Whitby High School in Yorkshire PA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May arrives in Abuja, Nigeria Reuters Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures The two schools are part of a British Council funded teacher exchange scheme called 'Connected Classrooms' AP Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures The Prime Minister enters the cell in which Nelson Mandela was held on Robben Island Cape Town PA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May meets South African president Cyril Ramaphosa PA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May dancing with students and staff at ID Mkize Secondary School in Cape Town EPA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa take part in the ceremony to hand over the bell of the SS Mendi AFP/Getty Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May and South African president Cyril Ramaphosa shake hands PA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May poses for a picture with school children Reuters Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa take part in the ceremony to hand over the bell of the SS Mendi AFP/Getty Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May dancing with students and staff at ID Mkize Secondary School in Cape Town EPA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May exits stage right following an address to business leaders at the offices of First National Bank in Cape Town EPA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures A group of school children at the ID Mkhize Secondary School, take a selfie with a phone with a Union Jack cover Reuters Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures The Prime Minister is on day one of her trip to South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya on a trade mission designed to bolster the UK's post-Brexit fortunes PA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May talks with students AP Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May speaks to business leaders at the offices of First National Bank in Cape Town EPA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May meets students and staff PA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May is greeted by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa Reuters Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May speaks to staff at I.D. Mkize Secondary School PA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May is greeted by schoolchildren waving British and South African flags AFP/Getty Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Theresa May speaks to students PA Theresa May visits Africa on trade trip – in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May walks with Nomvula Mokonyane - the South African Minister of Communications - as she arrives at Cape Town airport PA Ms May said she wants investment levels from UK firms into projects on the continent to outstrip those from the US and France by 2022. But her commitment to deploy aid money to “support the private sector to take root and grow”, will likely be questioned by charities and NGOs already concerned with the government’s approach.<doc-sep>
British Prime Minister Theresa May's dance moves have become fodder for online jokes, after footage emerged of her dancing with children at a South African school. The UK leader is currently on a tour of three African nations, where she is seeking to bolster the country's regional ties ahead of Britain's exit from the European Union in March 2019. The government has held out the prospect of increased trade with non-European Union countries as one of the major selling points of leaving the bloc, which is currently its biggest trading partner. Ms May visited the ID Mkhize High School in Cape Town, where she was greeted by singing and dancing students. She briefly joined them in a shuffling, swaying kind of dance. Loading Her unusual moves did not go unnoticed on Twitter. Quite a few people compared it to the dancing of Elaine Benes in the popular sitcom Seinfeld. Loading Loading Some social media users likened the British leader's dancing to the 'the robot' — dubbing it 'the Maybot', in reference to a term some in the British press use to refer to Ms May. Others had a bit of fun laying different songs on the video for comedic effect. Loading Loading Loading Ms May later addressed the reaction to her moves, as well as calls that she audition for the celebrity dance contest television program Strictly Come Dancing, the British version of Dancing with the Stars. "I suspect my dancing this morning might not quite make it onto Strictly," she told ITV News. Elsewhere in Cape Town, Ms May said she wanted Britain to become the biggest investor in Africa out of the Group of Seven nations, overtaking the United States, by using the aid budget to help British companies invest there. She is visiting South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya during the trip, which is her first official trip to the continent. ABC/wires