Residents of an elderly people’s home in South Africa, whose usual experience of traditional dance displays may be of Zulu origin, could be in for a culture shock.

They will be treated to an exhibition of English morris dancing, courtesy of Malmesbury School students.

For three weeks, ten pupils have been getting to grips with the complexities of the English folk dance during sessions with the Malmes-bury Morris group.

Using jumps, bells, sashes and scarf twirls, the students have learned how to execute the choreographed steps and movements, so they can reproduce them at a residential home near Cape Town.

Along with two teachers, they will leave for South Africa on Monday, to spend ten days – along with teenagers from other countries – at the Sondeza Youth Camp at Ganzekraal on the West Coast.

Malmesbury is the only British school invited to the camp and this will be the 11th year a party from the school has done the trip.

Spokesman Emma Guthrie said: “The students will undertake a number of activities and trips, one of which is visiting an old people’s home where they will perform their morris dancing.

“The local morris dancing side have come in to show them how it’s done. This will be the first time the students visit an old people’s home in South Africa. The idea was to perform something traditionally English for them.

“The Malmesbury Morris dancers are also very kindly lending the students their scarves, bells and sashes, so that they look the part for the residents.”

Students will be also perform Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as part of a cultural evening.

The aim of the trip is to develop leadership skills and community spirit. Pupils have already raised money to buy computer equipment for the Schoonspruit School in Malmesbury, South Africa.