South Africa's amapiano has the world dancing

AT A studio in central Johannesburg, dancers from various countries moved together to the rhythm of South Africa's amapiano sound that is taking social media by storm.

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With energy and purpose, they rehearsed a sequence in the style of the house music sub-genre born on the streets of the townships around 15 years ago and now showcased by stars like Beyonce and Tyla.

Soweto's Finest Dance Studio draws dancers of all kinds from ballerinas to party-goers - to learn the amapiano moves sweeping the world through TikTok tutorials and challenges.

Amapiano "is not about the words but you feel it inside of you", said Venus Chidinma, 25, a professional dancer from New York who studied at the studio for several weeks.

"It doesn’t matter where you come from, what race, what colour - you feel it and you have to just move. It's just from inside you," said the Harvard graduate.

Central to the sound is the log drum, a distinctive bass that sets it apart from other forms of dance music. It blends soulful jazz and deep house with 1990s kwaito to create a local genre with no strict rules.