The infectious grooves of funk, soul, and disco are the foundation of today’s hottest dance trends. They are not just nostalgic throwbacks. I’m thinking of Tiktok challenges at music festivals where these classic dance styles are making a triumphant comeback. Whether you are drawn to the precision of locking or the fluid arm movements of waacking, mastering these groove-based dances will turn you into a very versatile dancer who can hold their own on any dance floor.
Why These Styles Matter Today, Right Now
Every choreographer worth their salt is sampling from the funk and disco vocabulary. Watch any Dua Lipa, Bruno Mars, or Doja Cat video and you’ll spot locking points, waacking arms, and hustle turns popping up everywhere. The thing is, learning these foundational styles will give you the tools necessary to pick up contemporary choreography almost instantly while giving you a deeper understanding of where all of these modern, relevant dance moves are coming from.
Locking: Finding Your Freeze Frame
Locking was born back in 1969 when Don Campbell took the dance world by storm with his innovative style that combined sharp ‘locks’, that is sudden freezes, with fluid grooves. So imagine dancing along smoothly, then BAM, you hit a sudden freeze-frame and then just keep on going. Key moves include:
The Point: This is Slashing your arm out towards the audience with style.
The Lock: That is Freezing in place with arms bent. This is all about control in my opinion.
The Scooby Doo: A classic kick ball change dance move that might to bring the house down.
Start learning locking by checking out Kinjaz’s YouTube tutorials or STEEZY Studio’s beginner programs. But remember that these moves all start with mastering the basic underlying groove first. That subtle bounce that underlies every move is what’ll set you apart from the rest. So practice to some Parliament Funkadelic and Anderson .Paak. A lot of this music has that funky business that will get you moving in no time.
Waacking: Unleash Your Inner Diva
Waacking was born in clubs in 1970s LA. This dance style is all about dramatic arm movements, poses, and musicality set to the kind of disco beats that make almost everyone want to get up and dance. Think of this as like voguing’s stylish cousin. Essential elements include:
Arm whacks: Quick, controlled arm rotations that’ll get the crowd going
Poses: Dramatic freezes that’ll make you look like a star
Footwork: Simple steps that support your upper body expression
Get started in this style with some basic arm drills and classic disco music. Practice those figure-8s and arm rolls to Diana Ross and/or Donna Summer. And trust us, Kumarisuraj on Instagram and Princess Lockeroo on YouTube are both great places to start. Check them out. Don’t be afraid to take it slow at first. This is almost always a good idea. Focus on getting clean lines down before you worry anything about speed.
The Hustle: Social Dancing Goes Disco
The hustle brings partner dancing to the world of disco. The Hustle might be perfect for social dancers who love the connection and flow of a good dance. Unlike formal ballroom, the hustle lets you add your own bit of personal style into the mix. Core components:
Basic rhythm: That signature ‘1-2-3&4’ count that’ll get you moving
Turns and spins: Smooth rotations that keep you connected to your partner
Disco variations: Solo moves when you slip out of your partner’s grasp
Grab your partner and head on down to the local dance studio or maybe club. Many cities have hustle nights going on. Or, if you can’t find a partner, check out Dance With Me’s online basics. There, you can still learn some great rhythm and confidence boosts even on your own.
Getting Started: Your Funk, Soul, and Disco Dance Learning Path
Weeks 1-2: Get Your Foundation Down. Pick one style to focus on to start with. Practice 20 minutes a day is a good rule of thumb. Spend that time on the basic grooves and rhythm training. Use a mirror or record yourself on your phone to check your form. And, don’t be afraid to slow down on those YouTube tutorials. I believe that about 0.75x speed is your friend.
Weeks 3-4: Add Some Flair. Learn 2 or 3 new moves each week and make sure that you can transition smoothly between them. Also, trust us, you’ll want to join some online communities like the Locking Waacking Community on Facebook or Reddit’s r/FunkStyle. These would be a great way to get feedback and support.
Month 2: Add Some Style. Get yourself down to some local classes or online workshops. Many local studios will offer classes in funk styles or street jazz. These are where you could find these dances being used. And then of course, there are freestyle sessions where you can just play some random funk/disco tracks and see what you come up with.
Finding Your Dance Tribe
Time to get social – search out those Instagram hashtags like #lockingdance, #waacking, or #discodance to find local dancers and events. Many cities have ‘Soul Train’ themed nights where you can practice these styles with others. Dance battles and jams are a great place to test your skills in a supportive environment. You can go and just watch. And, don’t worry if you’re a beginner. Everyone gets started somewhere and that place is usually the ‘rookie’ category. Just get started.
Here Are Some Modern Learning Tools
Apps : STEEZY Studio has structured lessons. And, TikTok has the relevant trending moves.
YouTube: Check out Jardy Santiago for locking. Kumarisuraj’s Youtube Channel has waacking. The Dance Save Youtube Channel has The Hustle.
Music: You can visit Spotify’s ‘Funk & Soul Classics’ and ‘Disco Forever’ playlists. You can search for any Funk and Disco playlists. These should be the perfect backdrop for your learning journey.
These are timeless dance styles. They will connect you to dance history and get you ahead in today’s dance scene. Go ahead and pick one style. Take it slow and focus on it. But remember that this is all about having fun and moving your body. It’s like a little cardio workout that you don’t have to think about. Don’t worry about perfect technique. Focus on getting your authentic groove and that will set you apart from the rest.
