Waacking

You are taking your first steps into waacking. You can recognize the four-on-the-floor disco beat and attempt the waack back (rotating the arm behind the shoulder with a sharp finish), but your arm trajectory is unstable and speed control is difficult. You imitate basic strike poses and begin to learn that waacking was born in the LGBTQ+ clubs of 1970s Los Angeles.

• Can repeat the basic waack back movement on the beat of disco music for at least an 8-count
• Can perform the basic arm rotation trajectory using the shoulder as the pivot on both left and right sides
• Can imitate and hold at least three different strike poses
• Can explain the origins of waacking (1970s LA, LGBTQ+ club culture)
• Can describe the difference between waacking and voguing (arm-driven movement vs. frame-based posing)
• Can connect waack backs and poses while moving to music for at least 30 seconds

You are expanding your waacking movement vocabulary. You can perform the waack forward (extending and swinging the arm in front) and double waack (simultaneous two-arm swing), and combine chest and head isolations with arm movements. You follow basic routines by watching instructor demonstrations or videos, and attempt floor poses (dramatic poses performed on the ground). This is when you learn foundational waacking terminology.

• Can perform the waack forward with accurate timing on the beat
• Can execute the double waack (simultaneous two-arm swing) symmetrically on both sides
• Can move chest and head isolations independently from arm movements
• Can follow a basic routine of one minute or less by watching an instructor's demonstration
• Can transition between at least two different floor poses on the beat
• Can explain five or more basic waacking terms (punking, pose, waack, freestyle, cypher)

You can adjust the intensity and speed of your arm movements based on the verse, chorus, and breakdown sections of the music. You attempt short freestyles in cyphers and perform choreographed routines independently from start to finish. You understand and can explain the historical context of waacking being originally called "punking," and the role of Tyrone Proctor and Soul Train in bringing it to the mainstream.

• Can distinguish verse and chorus sections of a song and express matching energy for each
• Can enter a cypher and perform a waacking freestyle of at least 15 seconds
• Can independently complete a waacking routine of one minute and 30 seconds or more to music
• Can control arm movement speed across songs below BPM 100 and above BPM 120 respectively
• Can explain the history of waacking (the name change from punking, Tyrone Proctor's role)
• Can sustain energy and dance through a song lasting three minutes or more
• Can analyze your own arm trajectory and timing on video and identify at least three areas for improvement

Beyond technical accuracy, you infuse your own interpretation and flavor into your arm movements. You have the musicality to react to individual instrument sounds (bassline, strings, vocals), and freestyle confidently in cyphers. You understand the official HHI whacking battle judging criteria (attire, arm-feet coordination, floor work, full body control) and analyze your own strengths and weaknesses against them.

• Can add personal interpretation (flavor) to existing waacking movements such that a third party can distinguish your individuality
• Can vary arm movements in response to individual instruments in the music (bassline, strings, vocals)
• Can freestyle confidently for at least one minute to a song you have never heard before in a cypher
• Can explain each of the four HHI battle judging criteria (attire, arm-feet coordination, floor work, full body control) in detail
• Can analyze your own freestyle footage by HHI judging criteria and identify improvement points for each category
• Can maintain arm-feet coordination while traveling across the performance space
• Can connect poses and arm movements with smooth transitions within 0.5 seconds

You compete in official battle events and grow through feedback from judges. You create original waacking choreography from music selection through floor patterns and formations, and deliver captivating showcase performances. You can systematically teach foundational arm control and posing to beginner dancers.

• Can compete in an official waacking battle event and advance past the preliminary round
• Can create original waacking choreography of two minutes or more from music selection through floor patterns
• Can complete a waacking showcase performance in front of an audience of 30 or more
• Can design and execute formation transitions for a group choreography of three or more dancers
• Can systematically teach waack back, waack forward, and posing fundamentals to three or more beginner dancers
• Can analyze battle footage and evaluate strengths and weaknesses by HHI judging criteria
• Can film and edit performance footage into shareable dance content
• Can integrate the self-expression culture of waacking's LGBTQ+ community origins into teaching, transmitting cultural context alongside movement technique

You run waacking workshops and masterclasses on the international stage and serve as a battle judge delivering structured evaluations based on HHI criteria. You design tiered waacking education curricula from beginner through advanced levels and integrate the cultural roots of waacking (LGBTQ+ history, disco era) into your educational content. You organize and run regional or international waacking events.

• Can lead waacking workshops or masterclasses in three or more countries
• Can serve as a judge at official battle events and deliver structured evaluations based on HHI criteria
• Can design a tiered waacking education curriculum (referencing ISTD syllabus structure) from beginner through advanced levels
• Can systematically integrate the cultural history of waacking (LGBTQ+ origins, punking, Soul Train) into educational content
• Can build a following of 500 or more in the waacking community, demonstrated through measurable indicators such as social media followers, workshop participants, or event attendees
• Can organize and run regional or international waacking events (battles, jams, festivals)
• Can understand the long-term physical demands that waacking's distinctive arm-wrist movements place on the body (shoulder joints, wrist tendons) and incorporate injury prevention alongside artistic expression into instruction

You are at a level where your name is recorded in the history of waacking. You have originated a distinctive movement or methodology that other dancers learn and spread. You are invited as a legend or headliner to international festivals. You contribute to documenting and preserving waacking culture. You build systems that develop the next generation of waackers and educators, and advance the recognition of waacking as a performing art.

• Can originate an innovative waacking move or methodology that other dancers learn and integrate into their own practice
• Can be invited as a legend or headliner at international competitions or festivals
• Can establish a systematic waacking education curriculum and develop five or more next-generation educators
• Can document and preserve the history, cultural roots (LGBTQ+ origins), and techniques of waacking through writing, video, or lectures
• Can have your dance philosophy and methodology referenced and practiced in waacking communities across three or more countries
• Can lead large-scale projects that expand waacking into performing arts, media, and education
• Can analyze the impact of the naming shift from 'Punking' to 'Waacking' on cultural identity and commercial acceptance, and incorporate these insights into cultural preservation strategies