Post Date: 2010-02-02 With the advent of YouTube, there's been a very fast coming of age for many dance styles. Styles which are often considered somewhat underground such as locking, popping and breaking now have a much wider audience.
Due to the worldwide success and prevalence of YouTube you now have the opportunity to watch and learn from dancers that just a few years earlier you may never even have heard of. And as in any field, there are many talented people who are perhaps not household names that you can discover as well. I have experienced many instances where I've stumbled across a 'related video' to find a dancer or choreographer I knew nothing about but said to myself "I don't know who that was, but that sure was good!!"
So I sometimes get asked for my advice on where you should start looking when it comes to locking videos and dancers.
In my mode of thinking, the most natural and logical place to begin would be at the beginnings at the roots from the guys who created the dance, i.e. Don Campbell and The Lockers.
There may only be a handful of videos up there, though I do recall attending a Don Campbell masterclass (a good grounding in the history of the dance) and he had videos of locking footage he had. But from these OG videos you can glean where the dance started from with everything from what has become the classic locking uniform to the individual styles of each of The Lockers.
Watching this OG footage I would definitely recommend at some point, a few years ago you had the excuse of it being hard to find, now you can watch it if you have an internet connection! Apart from this historical footage which remains relevant, I really believe what is really important when looking at locking videos is to find people that inspire you.
For if locking is something you are serious about getting good at, then your endeavour will only be as strong as how inspired you can remain on your journey. And where does this inspiration come from? People whose dancing you find inspiring and also the dreams you hold for yourself.
While I could name some lockers worth watching, it is worth doing some discovering for yourself as there are many different style of locking. What's one person's button is another's zip.
If you find the dancers that make you light up and fly out of your seat eager with determination to learn what you're witnessing you're finding inspiration. The final message I would add is don't spend all day watching videos. If your true intention is to be good at locking, only you can do the work your inspiration cannot do the work for you.
It can fuel you up and start the engine but you've still gotta drive the damn thing. There is a vital distinction to be made: What you're after is inspiration not dependency.
Kevin Shwe (aka Strawberry KS) is a locking dancer and teacher based in London. He continues to coach dancers through his locking videos, lessons and DVD 'Introduction To Locking.' Find out more about his exclusive videos at http://www.lockingvideos.com/
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