Los Angeles, 1969-70
LOCKING
The funk clown of Los Angeles
Locking was created in Los Angeles around 1969-1970 by Don "Campbellock" Campbell, a dancer who, originally unable to execute a step correctly, "locked" in his position. What was meant to be a mistake became a style. With his crew The Lockers (Fred "Rerun" Berry, Toni Basil, Adolfo "Shabba-Doo" Quiñones), he popularized the dance on American television in the 1970s, notably through the show Soul Train.
It is a playful, theatrical, almost clownish dance. The Locker links broad, fast movements with "locks" — sharp, sudden stops on expressive poses. Finger points, grins, splits, slides, all in ruffled shirts and striped hats: Locking is the most visually recognizable style of California Funk.
How it's danced
Technique & figures
Locking is danced standing, to Funk music at a moderate tempo (100-120 BPM). It alternates fast movements with sharp holds, with a codified vocabulary tracing back to Don Campbell. Every step has a name, often tied to an emblematic "uncle" of the style.
Styles and fundamentals
The technique rests on three pillars: locks (holds), finger points (theatrical pointing), and fast transitions between the two. Figures often follow one another in short solos facing a partner or the audience.
Main figures
- 01
Lock
A sudden hold on an expressive pose, with the forearms raised and fists clenched. The gesture that gives the style its name.
- 02
Points
Finger points toward the sky, the ground, or an opponent, executed with a sharp extension of the arm. A theatrical signature of Locking.
- 03
Wrist rolls
Circular rotations of the wrists, often as preparation for a lock or a point.
- 04
Scooby-doo
A small hop in place with a raised knee and an immediate lock. A signature step of Don Campbell.
- 05
Skeeter Rabbit
A fast sequence of kicks and zigzag steps, named after one of the historic Lockers (James "Skeeter Rabbit" Higgins).
- 06
Uncle Sam
A forward lunge with a pointed finger, like the Uncle Sam poster. One of the most recognizable steps.
Reading the music
Locking is danced to pure Funk — James Brown, Kool & The Gang, The J.B.'s, Funkadelic. The tempo is that of 70s disco/funk, and the lyrics often support the theatrical poses.
Did you know?
Explore the rhythms
Same family
Clubbing
Cross connections
Styles from other families that share a common language with Locking.