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.
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.
