The Lockin’ Department will offer three classes:
Lockin’ – Beginner
The class focuses on the history and fundamentals of Lockin’. Students will be guided through proper dance techniques to incorporate into live performance.
Lockin’ – Intermediate
Students will begin to acquire higher levels of dance techniques and have a clear sense of their own style as well as their limits in techniques. Students will be exploring many new possibilities in their own art form.
Lockin’ – Advanced
Advanced students will be preparing to master their own style and technique. They will be taught the major differences between what makes someone a good dancer and what makes someone the best of the best. Students will develop themselves through live performances and Lockin’ competitions. They will be given direction in pursuing dance careers.
Workshop Specifics
- 8 Week Workshop
- 60 Minute Class
- Meets 3 times per week
- Most equipment is provided
- Open practice is subject to availability. Please see one of our staff members.
A short History & Description of Lockin’
Lockers. It was a forerunner to Hip Hop. Lockin’ was also the first Hip Hop element ever broadcast on television. It was from 1969-70 when Don first started developing moves from a dance called “The Funky Chicken”. He started making fun of his friends and getting involved with the crowd. He would point at people, mimicking how they would look or act and people would laugh. Lockin’ is best described as playful with over-exaggerated gestures and explicit distinct movements with steps originating from everyday situations (i.e. looking at one’s watch, fixing one’s hat, and playing with a handkerchief).
It is a dance which utilizes combinations of pointing, slapping of the ankle, rolling of the wrist to a locked position, and freezing on the clap. “Uncle Sam’s Army”, the “Alf”, the “Funky Look”, the “Knee Drop”, the “James Brown splits”, and the “Skeet” are all names of some of the moves. Funk music is what lockers originally danced to (like George Clinton, “Bootsy” Collins, and Parliament Funkadelic). Lockers originally called it “The Funk”. Colorful big hats, baggy pants, and tight shirts are the clothes they originally wore. Some historians say this element came first and that it opened a gateway to Hip Hop.
