| Each dance style is unique and has its own moves, | | | | locking you will see this. It is funky and it is loose, you |
| rhythms, steps and flavouring. So what do you need to | | | | strengthen up at certain points but you don't stay rigid |
| know if you are coming from other dance styles and | | | | throughout the whole dance. |
| looking to take up locking lessons? | | | | You may find this difficult or not depending on your |
| Firstly taking locking lessons is a good idea, so good on | | | | previous training of other styles or how much stiffness |
| you. Every locker has had a teacher to show them | | | | there is in your body. However if you can slump your |
| the way and help them to understand and perform the | | | | body, then you probably can relax it. You just need to |
| dance. | | | | control it enough so you're not actually slumping, but |
| Now when it comes to learning locking the first thing | | | | are relaxed and funky instead! |
| that is important is to treat it as a unique dance style. | | | | Another surprising thing which helps a lot of people is |
| As in drop everything you know about other dance | | | | just to listen to some more funk music. Since locking is |
| styles, do not bring that with you. | | | | typically done to funk or otherwise funky music, it helps |
| What you want to do is to learn locking in its own right, | | | | to familiarise yourself with the music you'll frequently be |
| learn what makes it unique and different from other | | | | dancing with. |
| dance styles. Once you know this, then you can start | | | | A good place to start on the music front is James |
| experimenting and bring in other elements but you | | | | Brown and to start discovering outwards from that. |
| need to know what you are doing first. | | | | Start with the founder of funk, and then you'll see how |
| To take just one example, if you take your posture | | | | the music progressed from its invention in the 60s right |
| from ballet into locking, it is not going to be half as | | | | up to the 80s as there is definitely a noticeable change. |
| effective. But if you learn locking in its own right, you | | | | If you can do just these things; learning locking as a |
| will then know how to use your ballet training to | | | | unique style, keeping things relaxed and familiarising |
| express yourself even as you lock. And you will be | | | | yourself with funk music, then you'll find that you will |
| locking, not doing ballet! | | | | get more out of your locking lessons and enjoy them |
| Another thing which will help most dancers a lot is to | | | | more! |
| keep things fairly relaxed and loose. If you watch | | | | |