In the latest unlikely twist on the Yangon nightlife scene, a high-end club founded as the ‘reincarnation’ of elitist colonial-era Pegu Club will this weekend hold a ‘twerk night’.
For anyone who has somehow escaped Miley Cyrus, this is twerking:
The ass-shaking dance move originated in West Africa, was later popularized by African American hip-hop legends and then, in 2013, came to the attention of Cyrus. She was subsequently called out for cultural appropriation by fellow stars like Nicki Minaj.
Anyway, it’s safe to say that twerking wouldn’t have been the thing at the original – and famously racist – Pegu Club on which The Clubhouse, a members-only joint opened in December, is modeled.
A Facebook description (since deleted) said the new bar was “modeled as the reincarnation of The Pegu Club, a long lost Victorian Member’s [sic] Club”.
Since opening it has hosted a string of super luxe events (tables costing upwards of K200,00) with an urban spin, like a recent ‘Straight Outta Yangon’ hip hop night.
Tomorrow’s twerking night – taglined ‘Twerk It, Perk It, Work It, Shake It!!!’ – will be soundtracked by Thai DJ Yukie.
We’ll leave the final word on it to Minaj.
