Locking
A 1970s LA funk street dance, spanning core moves like Lock and Point through battles and choreography.
Locking is a funk-based street dance created by Don Campbell in 1969 in Los Angeles, defined by the sharp contrast between fast movements and sudden freezes (Locks). Dancers perform signature moves including Lock, Point, Giving Five, Pacing, and Wrist Roll to funk rhythms, popularized through Soul Train. Beyond technical mastery, this guide values understanding funk culture, expressive showmanship, and respect for the OG Lockers tradition.
Level Overview
| Level | Stage | Hashtags |
|---|---|---|
| Lv.1 | Apprentice | #FunkBeat#BasicLock#BasicPoint#RhythmFoundation |
| Lv.2 | Foundation | #GivingFive#WristRoll#Pacing#SoulTrainGroove |
| Lv.3 | Groover | #LockingRoutine#MusicPhrasing#CrewSync#FunkMusicality |
| Lv.4 | Flavor Artist | #FreestyleLocking#PersonalFlavor#BattleEntry#Showmanship |
| Lv.5 | Battle Competitor | #BattleCompetition#OriginalChoreography#DanceCommunityTeaching |
| Lv.6 | Culture Ambassador | #InternationalWorkshop#BattleJudge#CrossStyleFusion#Masterclass |
| Lv.7 | Originator | #StyleOriginator#LockingPhilosophy#CulturalPreservation |
Levels
Level 1
#FunkBeat#BasicLock#BasicPoint#RhythmFoundationRecognizing funk beats and making first attempts at Lock and Point.
You are taking your first steps into locking. You can recognize the drum beat and bassline in funk music and attempt the Lock (freezing movement) and Point (finger pointing) moves, though your timing is often off. You understand that locking was created by Don Campbell and begin to distinguish the names and shapes of foundational moves such as Lock, Point, Giving Five, and Pacing.
What Comes Next
If you've checked off most of this list, you're ready for the Foundation stage, systematically learning foundational locking moves such as Giving Five, Wrist Roll, and Pacing. Fitts & Posner(1967)'s Motor Learning theory suggests that Lock and Point moves must progress from the cognitive stage to the associative stage before you can add new movements.
Level 2
#GivingFive#WristRoll#Pacing#SoulTrainGrooveLearning basic locking moves and following short guided routines.
You are learning the foundational techniques of locking. You can perform Giving Five (hand slap), Wrist Roll (wrist rotation), Pacing (rhythmic walking), and Scooby Doo (kick move) individually. You understand the 4/4 time signature of funk music, can follow basic routines on an 8-count, and know key members of The Lockers.
What Comes Next
If you've checked off most of this list, you're ready for the Groover stage, performing a complete locking routine independently and expressing dynamics across different sections of funk music. Bandura(1977)'s Social Learning theory suggests observing and imitating skilled dancers while progressively adding your own interpretation to achieve independent routine performance.
Level 3
#LockingRoutine#MusicPhrasing#CrewSync#FunkMusicalityPerforming full routines independently and varying section dynamics.
You can perform a locking routine from start to finish independently. You distinguish verse, chorus, and break sections in funk music and vary your energy to match each section. You synchronize unison timing in crew practice and integrate intermediate moves such as Alpha (Leo Walk), Stop and Go, and Scoobot into your routines.
What Comes Next
If you've checked off most of this list, you're ready for the Flavor Artist stage, expressing your personal flavor in freestyle and entering your first battles. Csikszentmihalyi(1990)'s Flow theory suggests that reaching a freestyle state where you respond instantly to musical nuances requires practicing where skill level and challenge difficulty are in balance.
Level 4
#FreestyleLocking#PersonalFlavor#BattleEntry#ShowmanshipAdding personal flavor to freestyle and entering your first battles.
Beyond technical accuracy, you express the nuances of funk music through your body. You have the musicality to react to individual sounds such as horn sections, basslines, and vocals, and add your own interpretation (flavor) to freestyle. You incorporate showmanship including facial expression and audience interaction, and begin competing in small battles.
What Comes Next
If you've checked off most of this list, you're ready for the Battle Competitor stage, competing in official battle events, creating original choreography, and mentoring newer dancers. Ericsson(1993)'s Deliberate Practice theory suggests analyzing battle footage to identify weaknesses in musicality and vocabulary and then training those areas with focused repetition.
Level 5
#BattleCompetition#OriginalChoreography#DanceCommunityTeachingCompeting in official battles and creating original choreography.
You compete in official locking battle events and advance past preliminary rounds, growing through judges' feedback. You create original locking choreography from music selection through floor patterns and formations, and deliver captivating showcase performances. You systematically teach foundational moves and groove to beginner dancers and educate them on the history and traditions of the OG Lockers.
What Comes Next
If you've checked off most of this list, you're ready for the Culture Ambassador stage, leading international workshops, judging battles, and creating cross-style fusion works. Schön(1983)'s Reflective Practice theory suggests systematically documenting teaching experiences and iteratively refining educational methods to convert tacit expertise into shareable curricula.
Level 6
#InternationalWorkshop#BattleJudge#CrossStyleFusion#MasterclassLeading international workshops and judging official battle events.
You run locking workshops and masterclasses on the international stage and serve as a battle judge delivering structured evaluations. You create crossover works fusing locking with other street dance styles such as popping and waacking, and design tiered education curricula. You contribute to spreading locking culture through event organization and community leadership.
What Comes Next
If you've checked off most of this list, you're ready for the Originator stage, originating a distinctive style and leaving a generational impact on locking culture. Mezirow(1991)'s Transformative Learning theory suggests questioning the assumptions behind existing locking paradigms and developing new expressive frameworks.
Level 7
#StyleOriginator#LockingPhilosophy#CulturalPreservationOriginating a new style and leaving a generational legacy in locking.
You are at a level where your name is recorded in the history of locking. You have originated a distinctive move or methodology that other dancers learn and spread. You are invited as a legend or headliner to international festivals and competitions, and contribute to documenting and preserving locking culture while carrying on the legacy of Don Campbell and the OG Lockers. You build systems that develop the next generation of dancers and educators.
What Comes Next
If you've checked off most of this list, you're at the forefront of locking, shaping how the funk movement that Don Campbell started evolves into a global art form. Wenger(1998)'s Communities of Practice theory suggests building a learning community around your locking philosophy and fostering an ecosystem where the culture transmits across generations.
References
Documents the origins of locking by Don Campbell and OG Lockers, including foundational moves (Lock, Point, Hand Slap, Split) and the solo-to-group-to-professional progression, used to calibrate level boundaries and cultural context.
Presents a five-level proficiency assessment framework (Novice to Advanced) for street dance (popping), mapped to locking's 7 levels as Novice(L1)→Advanced Beginner(L2)→Competent(L3)→Proficient(L4)→Expert(L5)→Master(L6)→Innovator(L7).
Documents the cultural significance of Soul Train as the platform that brought locking to national audiences, providing historical context for understanding the cultural roots and showmanship values that define locking.
International competition adjudication criteria covering technique, musicality, originality, and performance quality, directly applicable to evaluating locking proficiency from L3 crew routines through L5-L6 battle and judging competency.