A singer has reportedly been arrested for "dabbing" during a concert in Saudi Arabia over the last weekend.

The host and actor, Abdallah Al Shahani, was videoed performing the dance move, where a person drops his head into the inside crook of their elbow, while the other hand is extended out straight.

He had "dabbed" at a music festival in the south-west city of Taif, and the move was caught in a short clip that went viral.

Dabbing is reportedly banned in Saudi Arabia, as the authorities consider the dance move a reference to drug use. Dabbing is considered a reference to narcotics culture, specifically promoting the use of marijuana, the BBC reported.

A poster published on Aug 6 on the official Twitter page of the country's National Committee for Narcotics Control shows that dabbing is not allowed.

The secretary-general of the committee, Abdul-Ella Al-Sharif, told local media that the artist's dab was "contrary to the national strategy to combat drugs", Newshub.co.nz reported on Thursday (Aug 10).

Meanwhile, the singer posted an apology on his Twitter account, which has more than 62,000 followers.

He wrote on Aug 6: "I am most apologetic to our honourable government and my dear president for the spontaneous movement I made in the Ta'if Festival. Please accept my apology."

The dance move is believed to have originated from the hip-hop scene in Atlanta, Georgia, in recent years.