Locking & Popping
Two different funk styles, born on the West Coast — often taught together, never the same.
Born
Locking 1969 · Popping 1970s
Where
Los Angeles & Fresno, California, USA
Founded by
Locking: Don "Campbellock" Campbell · Popping: Sam "Boogaloo Sam" Solomon
The History
Locking came first. In 1969 in Los Angeles, Don Campbell tried to copy the popular Funky Chicken dance, could not do it smoothly, and froze mid-move in a jerking stop. That accident became the "Campbellock" — later just "the Lock". Campbell formed The Lockers, and the style reached the world through Soul Train.
Popping came from Fresno, California, in the 1970s. Boogaloo Sam, inspired by the Lockers, built a style around quickly contracting and relaxing muscles to make the body "pop" on the beat. With his group the Electric Boogaloos (formed 1978), he added waves, glides and the fluid boogaloo style.
People often say "pop n lock" as if it is one dance — it is not. Locking is playful, big and audience-facing, full of stops and smiles. Popping is precise, internal and robotic. At MOBS you learn both, and you learn the difference.
The MOBS Way
Focuses on muscle control and rhythmic precision. It is the art of making the body move in unexpected ways.
Its Elements
What You'll Learn
- → Locking Foundations
- → Popping Basics
- → Muscle Isolation
- → Combining Styles
Essentials
Comfortable streetwear and sneakers with good grip.
Exceptional muscle control, improved timing, and mental focus.