Pop & Lock Costume
Pop and lock is an element of break dancing and freestyling that focuses on isolations and ticking. This is when joints, limbs and body parts are thrust and popped sharply, but without involving any of the surrounding body parts. For example, a pop and locker will pop their chest forward but will not involve their arms, hips, legs or neck. This gives the move a sharper look. When the pop and lock travels, such as across your arm span and chest almost like a wave, it is called ticking. A popular hip hop group, the Jabbawockeez, discovered on MTV's America's Best Dance Crew, are known for very specific costume elements that help to enhance their popping and locking.
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Pants
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Wear comfortable and baggy pants as a part of the costume. Make sure they are not so baggy that they are in danger of falling off during the dancing. The pants should allow for a wide range of movement, while not increasing the risk of a costume malfunction. The pants should be a muted, dark color, such as black or gray.
Shoes
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Comfortable shoes are a key element in any style of dancing. For the pop and lock costume, choose a sneaker as these will give you a good grip and traction on the floor while allowing for flexibility in movement. Choose a bright white so that in combination with the dark pants, the shoes will pop, highlighting the dance steps.
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Shirt
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Wear a dark colored shirt for the same reason as the pants. This will help the core of the body blend while the feet and other elements pop. Choose a comfortable top that is loose enough that it allows for a wide range of movement. A tee-shirt, long sleeved shirt or even a hooded sweatshirt will work well with the costume.
Accessories
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A hat is an optional accessory depending on your personal style. A cap or baseball hat will work well. Add a pair of white gloves to the ensemble. While the majority of the body is covered in muted tones, the white gloves in addition to the sneakers will help add emphasis to the popping and locking movements.
Mask
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The Jabbawockeezs are known for wearing masks because they feel it helps people focus on their dancing as opposed to looking at them. This has become a trademark of theirs and adding a white mask to your costume will help people relate to you as a pop and lock dancer.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit dance image by The Russian Negresco from Fotolia.com
