Locking

Locking or Campbellocking is a part of the west coast funk styles dance movement and was first invented by Don Campbell in the 1960's. Originally, Campbell added his own flare to popular dances thus creating the dance, Campbellocking which was later shortened to Locking. Dancers who perform the act of locking are called Lockers.

Locking is often performed to funk music and is characterized by its distinctively swift arm and hand movements, combined with occasional finger points and relaxed hips and legs. As the dance form developed, so too did its extensive library of techniques and dance steps some of which include:

Uncle Sam Points – Finger points as created by Uncle Sam
Wrist Rolls or Twirls – Rolling the wrists is usually done as a transitional movement into a locking position.
Leo Walks – Funky walks characterized a combination of bouncing, high knee lifts and hip movements all following a specific rhythmic timing.

Set to animated facial expressions, Locking’s effect creates various sequences of larger than life stop-and-go movements that follow the rhythmic pacing of the music. It’s entertaining and highly expressive overtones are somewhat reminiscent of vaudevillian performances.

Lockers are also characterized by their attire. Their classic look would include donning bright colored tops, white gloves, big hats, bow ties, knee length pegged pants immediately followed by striped socks.

Locking grew in popularity after Don Campbell created the group The Lockers of which a couple of its members consisted of Shabadoo who would go on to appear in the b-boy cult classic, “Breaking” and Penguin also known as Rerun from the TV Show “What's Happenin'”. With exposure on television shows such as “Soul Train” and with the help of then known television choreographer, Toni Basil, The Lockers grew to international acclaim.

The dance form is currently adopted internationally and has provided a foundation for other more nascent dance forms and styles such as Bucking and Liquid Dancing.

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Also known as 
Campbelllocking 

Originator:
Don Campbell 

Region of origin: 
California 

Popularized by:
Don Campbell, The Lockers, Fred "Rerun" Berry