Beyonce- We run the world ( Girls)

I tuned into MTV Base recently and saw Beyonce's new music; Run The World( Girls).

It was very interesting to see that some of her dance moves were influenced by a South African culture of pantsula. Pantsula is a dance culture which was popularin South African townships years and years ago. It wasn't just a dance,but a way of life for young men and women to express themselves.

In the 1980s young men and women would listen to kwaito music,dress in colourful clothes and everyone had a pair of Converse All Star sneakers. These young individuals were mostly tsotsis(thugs) and rebellious youths.

So it is quite amazing to see that kind of lifestyle and culture back on the international centre stage being embraced by successful artists such as Beyonce.

The pantsula wasn't the only African influence in the song. The other side to the song is where all the ladies in the video are dancing with their fists held up,which can be traced back to 1956 when over 2000 women marched to the South African government buildings in Pretoria in protest against apartheid pass laws.

It is very evident that some youth cultures will never die out.