From October to November 2023, I returned to Legacy Dance Co try their introductory class in Locking with Chris. The 8 sessions of 1.5h classes built upon some of the basic urban dance moves from the Introductory class: such as the two-step and four-step. I thought the course really challenged me to hone in on the groove, hearing out the beats to hit in music. This got tougher with trying to hit 16-beats and also with the songs with the faster tempos. It was physically demanding and while I saw classes as a physical challenge to keep up and control both strength and speed, I wondered how Locking or dance can be adapted to people of other abilities.
As always, choreography was also a challenge. However, as someone who has not had formal dance education, I thought the sharing about the origins of Locking to be an interesting was to think of dance. How it started from Don Campbell, an arts student who was doing his own thing; and how it evolved into a movement with his crew; and how it got formalised into the key 8 moves - 1. Wrist roll; 2. Muscle man; 3. Lock; 4. Keeping time; 5. Point; 6. Back and front clap; 7. Lock and Lock; and 8. Self Five - and then, a universal "Lockers handshake" (that I'm not sure I can recall fully). I wonder if other art forms would have a similar framing too.