‘A dance done by the whole world’: South African choreographer dreams of global reach – The Guardian

A man sits on a wooden floor in a dance studio, wearing a Billie Eilish t-shirt and a black headscarf; two people dance in the background. The Guardian logo is visible, highlighting the global reach of this South African choreographer.

In a dance studio in suburban east Johannesburg, the choreographer Lee-ché Janecke put a group of student cheerleaders through their steps. After five hours of everything from body rolls to voguing with pompoms and a classic cheerleading lift, the excited group gathered round Janecke to make a TikTok of one of the latest South African amapiano dance challenges. They were done in just two takes.

Janecke has been at the forefront of the growing global popularity of South African dance and music in the past few years. Having worked with Tyla…