How to Pop & Lock Dance

Pop and Lock dancing consists of two styles: "popping," or creating explosive muscle movements by contracting and releasing specific muscles, and "locking," or temporarily freezing after a series of fast dance movies. The term popping was coined in the seventies by Boogaloo Sam, a street dancer who said "Pop!" every time he performed one of these muscle contractions. Locking originated with funk dancer Dan Campbell in the late sixties, and was originally known as "Campbellocking."

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Some great '70's funk music

Popping and Locking

1. Start by stretching. Funk dancing can be intense, especially if you plan to try the jazz split. Roll your head around (gently!), touch your toes and twist your spine from side to side.

2. Listen to the rhythm of the music. Pops usually occur on every beat, so make sure you can recognize the time signature. Try bopping your head to make sure you've got the beat down.

3. Isolate your muscle groups. Popping looks great when it's done with very specific muscle contractions, so try to clench and release your shoulder, chest or leg. Try freezing (locking) right before the pop, to make the pop clearer.

4. Always contrast your movements. Switch from sharp, robotic dance moves to smooth, flowing ones. Move really quickly and then freeze in a creative position (see, you're locking already).

5. Ready to work some famous moves? Try the boogaloo, invented by Boogaloo Sam. Use fluid motions and roll around different parts of your body, like your head, knees and arms. The idea of the Boogaloo is to dance as though you have no bones.

6. Do the robot shuffle. Move your body up and down while kicking your feet from side to side.

7. Use mime. Miming is often used in dance-offs to intimidate the competition by letting them know that they're going to lose. Pretend that you're inside a box, that you can pull yourself forward by an invisible rope or just tell a story without talking.

8. Try the jazz split (but only if you're flexible). Jump and land in a half-split, with one leg bent. Spring back up. Take a bow.

Tips & Warnings

• One of the most important things to remember about any form of hip-hop dance is to flow with the music. Don't worry if your technique isn't perfect. This isn't ballet. Listen to the music, feel the beat and tell a story with your body.

Resources

• The Ultimate Soul and Funk Music Site