The incredible history of w*acking
- Jan 8
- 18 min read
Among all street and club styles, waacking stands out with an incredible history that not only is heartwarming and important for the dancers doing it. Despite being a world full of glitter and sequins, the history of this style is sad and complex.
It describes the reason why Whacking is so unique and have some characteristics that seem understandable before knowing the history of disco, Punking and society.Why do waackers move the way they do? Why do they express themself so differently compared to other dance styles? Let us dive into the complex and interesting history of waacking.
CHAPTER 1 - DISCO
70s - The birth of liberation
🪩 In the 1970s disco culture appears in USA.
🪩 Disco culture became the fastest growing cultural phenomenon. Not only in the US but world wide
Disco music: → The music was inspired by African American and latino culture. → Features a repetitive, high-energy beat, often between 110 and 130 BPM, with syncopated baselines and prominent hi-hat patterns
→ Disco laid the foundation for modern electronic dance music (EDM), directly influencing genres like house, techno, and hip-hop Disco culture:
🪩 Discotek's (clubs) became a popular hangouts for people of color and homosexuals. (But also others)🪩 The disco culture was labeled as flamboyant, glamorous, colorful. 🪩 For the first time pop-music consisted of music about sexuality. Both homosexuality and female sexuality. "Disco suck" movement → By 1978 and 1979, disco had moved from underground clubs into every corner of mainstream culture
→ Due to its popularity disco was mass-produced in the music industry, movies and advertising. As labels rushed to cash in, the market was flooded with "manufactured" and "formulaic" disco tracks by artists from other genres, which alienated listeners who valued the perceived "authenticity" of rock.
→ Many traditional rock stations (AOR - Album Oriented Rock) switched to all-disco formats to chase ratings, firing popular rock DJs in the process. → As a genre rooted in Black, Latino, and homosexual communities, its total dominance felt like a threat to the cultural status of the predominantly white, heterosexual male rock audience.
→ During the economic instability of the late 1970s, the "hedonistic" and "lavish" lifestyle associated with Studio 54-style disco was seen as out of touch with the struggles of everyday people. → Rock DJ Steve Dahl, who had been fired when his station switched to disco, organized a promotion where fans could get into a baseball game for 98 cents if they brought a disco record to be blown up.
→ Instead of the expected 15,000 fans, over 50,000 showed up. The records were detonated, thousands of fans stormed the field, and a riot ensued, forcing the White Sox to forfeit their game.
→ This event signaled to the music industry that disco had become a "liability," leading to a rapid decline in its mainstream radio presence by 1980.
→ From here on disco was labeled as tacky and the culture slowly went back to an underground status.
CHAPTER 2 - PUNKING
Before disco culture became a big phenomenon, dancers explored new ways of dancing in the clubs. Homosexuality was not accepted (USA) 🌈 In the 1970s, gay men lived in a period of intense transition between deep secrecy and the first major waves of public liberation. While the decade saw the birth of modern Pride and political visibility, daily life remained fraught with legal and social perils.
🌈 In 1977, sodomy was illegal in all 50 U.S. states. Men caught in "unnatural fornication" could face imprisonment for up to a year or more.
🌈 Until 1973, homosexuality was officially classified as a mental illness by the American Psychiatric Association. Even after its removal, many professionals still used this old definition to justify denying medical or psychiatric licenses to gay individuals.
🌈 Professionals such as teachers, doctors, and lawyers frequently lost their licenses if their sexuality was discovered.
🌈 Bar raids remained a constant threat. Police harassment often escalated into beatings, and because gay men lacked legal protections, they had little to no recourse for justice.
🌈 The 1978 assassination of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to office in California, served as a chilling reminder of the dangers of visibility. Disco and dance became their escape
🪩 Homosexuals found their escape from the society's judgment in the Discotheques. 🪩 Disco music and dance became their place of freedom and liberation.
PUNKING - The original waacking
In 1975 Viktor Manoel walks into a gay club for the first time in Los Angeles.He was afraid to get arrested for being at such a place. His emotions suddenly changed as he met a group of likeminded men having the time of their life.
The group of men danced what we now know as "Whacking"/"Waacking". Originally named Punking.A dance style created by gay, black, and Hispanic men driven by a strong of social retribution. "We didn’t create anything — that’s the thing. We were just acting out, just behaving, playing. (..) We weren’t street kids. We were gay kids — or gay adults — going into a club to express ourselves, to play tag, to laugh, to have a good time. We just happened to put music to it." -Viktor Manoel (full article)
The original dancers in their group during the first years Andrew Frank
Arthur Goff
Billy-Starr Estrada (Chicano)
Kenny (aka China-Doll due to his Chinese origin)
Lonnie Carbajal (Filipino)
Michael-Angelo Harris (half-Japanese)
Tinkier Toy
Tommy Mitchell
Viktor Manoel (Mexican). Later also Claude, Fay-Ray, Jo-Jo, Johnnie, Juan, Lizard-Woman joined in.
Why the neme "Punking" ➡️ "Punk" was a negative slang for a homosexual person. ➡️ Michael Angelo named the dancers "Punkers". ➡️ The name appeared as Michael Angelo was teasing Andrew when he visited his husband in prison. "You are nothing to him, your just his punk". ➡️ They took the negative word and flipped it. Saying they where "Punkers". Doing "Punking" (dance)
How did Punking look? ✨ The punkers was not trying to create a new dance style, they simply had fun, played around and used their dance to express. ✨ They found in their dancing a safe space to express their emotions and free their spirits
✨ The very first expression of this dance was posing. ✨ Dancer Toni Basil explained in an interview with Summer Dance forever how she entered a club in 1974 and saw all the punkers. As the DJ was playing "Papa was a rollin stone" the whole group of dancers would be in one with the music. As one big pack. ✨ The dance consisted of movements and postures of the most famous movie stars, cartoons and other artforms.
Their inspiration
→ Elegant, glamorous, and timeless women of Hollywood. Such as Greta Garbo, Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth, and Marlene Dietrich.
→ Male Hollywood stars, such as Fred Astaire and Charlie Chaplin. → They loved Erté, the first Art Deco artist.
→ The Ballets Russes→ Poses of Li'l Abner's character Stupefyin' Jones. Everyone brought something to the style; → Lonnie was a gymnast, who loved Nada Comaneci. → Tinker loved Bugs Bunny and brought cartoonish exaggeration.
→ Michaelangelo, being Japanese broguh kabuki-inspired gestures.
→ Viktor brought arm movements like a cowboy due to his earlier Mexican farm life. Even some folk dance.
→ Andrew Frank had been a cheerleader in hight school. Bringing in foot-stomping to the dance.
→ Toni recalls described how Andrew was "the king of poses and elegance" while Billy-Starr was famous for doing his floorwork. "Almost like a cat, but still hitting the music".
Moviestars on the dance floor
→ Toni recalls the punkers as always being stylish dressed.
→ Especially Arthur Goff had an "interesting" fashion taste, she said.
→ She recalls Arthurs even more interesting way of dancing:
He would act out normal scenarios, but to the music. "Like reading a book, pretending to be holding it in his hand and turning the pages. But to the music beat".
The famous arm rolls → According to Toni, the first one doing the waacking rolls was Tinker. He used arm movements that resembled Bruce Lee films and nunchucks. → The famous arm movements we now know as waacking rolls was inspired by modern movies of the time, such as Loonie Tunes, Batman, Bruce Lee film (karate) and Star Wars (the light saber).
Chapter 3 - Punking to Waacking
Soul Train
🪩 The TV "Soul Train" was a groundbreaking American musical variety television program that celebrated Black music, dance, and fashion 🪩 While primarily showcasing R&B, soul, and funk, the show adapted over decades to include disco, jazz, and eventually hip-hop.
🪩 Soul Train inspired a whole generation of dancers and entertainers. Such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklyn.
🪩 The "Soul Train Line": Its most iconic segment featured dancers forming two parallel lines while individuals or couples danced down the center to showcase their latest moves.
🪩 Dancers from all over America would attend auditions in Los Angeles.
The Soul Train dancers was highly respected. One of them (unknown) once got mugged on his way to the studio. It was pretty dramatic. But suddenly one of the robbers recognized him from Soul Train. They quickly apologized and gave all his money back.
Punkers became Soul Train Dancers - Arthur Goff, Tinker and Andrew became dancers on the tv-show . - People in America got exposed to Waacking/Punking (and Locking) through the dance sequences.
- Tyrone Proctor started dancing in the show and met the punkers.
Staight dancers gets inspired
╰┈➤ The locker Shabba Doo saw the punkers at the club and started to collaborate with them.
╰┈➤ Locker Ana "Lolipop" Sanchez saw Tinker, Arthur and Andrew doing punking in a street competition and got smitten by the style. ╰┈➤ Ana started learning from the OG punkers and practiced the dance style.
╰┈➤ Dallace Zeigler, a jazz dancer, liked the style and wanted to bring it forward to the dance community. Showing the celebration of the feminine elegance in the style. ╰┈➤ Steve "Sugarfoot" Notario and the LA Knockers Dance Company (Marilyn, Dallas, Jennifer and Yana) began to practice and perform the style.
Batman inspired the name "Whacking"
🪩 The straight dancers did not want to associate with being "Punkers" (homosexual) 🪩 Instead calling it "Waackin'", "The Cagney" (after the Hollywood dancer James Cagney) or "The Shabba-Doo"
🪩 The name went from Punking to "Whacking". Inspired by the tv series Batman and Robin (1960s). 🪩 In the series and cartoon the onomatopoetia would appear on screen to show the sound of a movement. Such as "Bang!" "Smack!" "Whack". 🪩 Whack, according to the dictionary, means "To strike with force".
🪩 The "whack" was a movement the punkers did, and not the name of the style.
🪩 Shabba-Doo started calling it Waackin' with two A's. To disassociate from the negative meanings of "Whack". Which in American can mean to use violent on someone, be sexual or kill someone. 🪩 According to Tyrone Proctor; Jeffery Daniel, a dancer he joined with in "The Outrageous Waack Dancers", who added the letter G to "Waackin". Giving the style the name it have today; Waacking.
Los Angeles Waacking mets New York Vogue →Tyrone Proctor had moved to New York and joined Breed of Motion.
→ Breed of Motion members: Tyrone, Benjamin Harris, Javier Izquierdo, Willie Ninja and Archie Burnett.
→ Members of the group had a big influence in the Waacking Scene.
From here a connection between the "sister styles" Waacking and Vogue emerged. → Vogue started to develop in New York from 1960-1980s in the LGBT community.
→ Breed of Motion members did both Waack and Vogue → Willie Ninja, is today known as the Godfather of Vogue.
→ Archie Burnett is known for the Godfather of House of Ninja
Vouge and Waacking → The two styles have a similar background. → Coming from the gay/LGBT community in order to liberate yourself. → Breed of Motion would often combine the two styles in their performances. → Both styles have many movements that resemble each other. → Vogue and Waack dancers often talk about the other style as a "Sister style". → Most countries started out with dancers doing fusion between Vogue and Waacking. → Vogue balls often host their own waacking category to continue showing respect to the history.
Chapter 4 - Death and Rebirth
🪩 In the 80's the pop music sound changed 🪩 Disco fragmented and evolved into more electronic, stripped-down subgenres collectively known as post-disco 🪩 Punking and Waacking was seen in music videos and films in the 80s ╰┈➤ Such as Staying Alive (1983), Flashdance (1983), Breakin (1984) and Check your Body at the door (1992).
🪩 Most of the original Punkers and first generation Waackers kept doing the style 🪩 One of the 80-generation waackers was Patric.
THE AIDS PANDEMIC • The AIDS pandemic officially began in 1981. • It has caused more than 44 million deaths globally.
• AIDS was nicknamed "The gay cancer"
• Started spreading in the homosexual community
• It was nok taken seriously enough by the government.
• By 1995, one in nine gay men in the U.S. had been diagnosed with AIDS, and one in fifteen had died.
• Groups like ACT UP (founded in 1987) used the motto "SILENCE=DEATH" to protest high drug costs and demand faster FDA approval for life-saving treatments
• The lack of knowledge on the disease made homophobia a bigger issue in the society.
╰┈➤ Because of the AIDS Pandemic, most of the original punkers died. ╰┈➤ With their deaths, waacking also disappeared. ╰┈➤ For two decades no one practiced it. ╰┈➤ Later Viktor Manoel was giving an honoring award as the only living original punker
One man changed everything
ᯓ★ In 2003 Brian "Footwork" Green managed to revive the style. ᯓ★ Brian was not one of its creators but knew Tyrone Proctor personally. ᯓ★ Brian tried to convinced Tyrone, Archie and others to revive waacking and help create new generations of waackers. But without any results. ᯓ★ Brian decided to start teaching Waacking on his own at the Broadway Dance Centre. ᯓ★ He mostly did a Funk Jazz class with waacking elemenst like the armrolls, posè, groove, funk and work across the floor. ᯓ★This was an effort to provoke the first/second generation waackers to start teaching again. ᯓ★ Brians effort gave results. ᯓ★The New York dance scene loved the style and was hungry to learn more.
ᯓ★ The older generation came in as a result ᯓ★Archie Burnett, Shabba Doo and Tyrone came back to spread the knowledge of the dance style. ᯓ★Shabba Doo with his Shway style, a genere in Waacking, gave classes in Los Angeles. ᯓ★ Tyrone gave classes in New York ᯓ★ Archie started doing classes with one hour of waacking plus one hour of vogue.
The 2000s generation
Among Brian Green's students was ✶ Princess Lockeroo ✶ Legendary King Aus (aka Angus Ninja)
✶ Twicky,
✶ Alissa Chloe
✶ Kumari Suraj
✶ Sandrine Saint Croix. ᯓ★ The style started reliving in the club scene in New York. ᯓ★ Waacking battle category was first opened at a House conference.
ᯓ★ The first ever winner was Alissa Chloe (now living in Denmark). ᯓ★ In 2007 Canada's dance scene came down to the "International House conference". The community was introduced to dancers like Nubian Néné who later moved to New York. ᯓ★The first students in New York picked up the style and became pioners on growing the w*acking community. In USA and internationally. ᯓ★ Tyrone and Archie started traveling the world as the international community and demand got bigger.
Imperial House Of Waacking was founded 𑣲 Tyrone founded the imperial house of waacking. "IHOW". 𑣲 The USA chapter consisted of Princess Lockeroo and Kumari Suraj. 𑣲 They where especially important to the global growth of the style. 𑣲 Kumari moved to Los Angeles in 2008 (where Shabbadoo, JojoDiggs and Tiffany was teaching waacking at that time). 𑣲 Suraj was the "The IHOW princess of LA", giving classes at Millennium, Movement lifestyle and Debbie Raynolds studio. 𑣲 Princess Lockeroo kept pushing waacking in New York and became a huge influence in the style.𑣲 In the years to come Tyrone created IHOW's world wide. (More info in the section of each country)
The new generation was hungry for more knowledge • Kumari later left IHOW and created "The Waackers" in Los Angeles. • The team of dancers performed shows, videos and entered battles.
• In 2008 Toni Basil came to one of Kumari's classes and the two of them connected. • Toni brought The Waackers to his home and showed footages and shared knowledge about the style.
• Toni gave the team a few names from the older generation. Like Anna, Viktor, Steven, Flame and Dallas.
• But without contact info it became hard for the young dancers to connect to the older generation.
One day a woman entered Kumari's class in Los Angeles. Kumari looked at her, asking "Are you Dallas!?". The lady replied fabulously "Yes, I am". From here Kumari and the Waackers was able to keep contact with LA Knockers Dance Company. They helped reach out to the older generation. Dancing together and going to clubs.
Viktor brought back the Punking elements
• Both Dallas and Viktor Manoel had been away from the dance scene the last 20 years. • Kumari organized the first "WaackFest" event in 2010 • In hope to get Viktor Manoel back to the waacking scene Dallas suggested to give him an honoring award at the first event. • Viktor came and received an honoring award for his work and for being "The only living original punker".
• From that point on he could bring in more knowledge of the original punkers. Making a big new movement in the waacking scene. • Viktor also started teaching more and after a few years he started to travel all over the world to share his history and the foundation of punking. At this point some of the strong waackers in the west: ✶ Junko (Japan) ✶ Lorena and Boogaloo Bean (Mexico) ✶ Tine Machine ✶ Raquel Cabrera ✶ Clark Kxnt ✶ Ayuri ✶ Natch (video) ✶ Tiffany Bong + Donna from the waacking crew Syrenz (video).
Chapter 5 - Global phenomenon
Waacking becomes a global phenomenon » During the early 2000s a big rush of foreign dancers travelled to New York to explore and learn.
» Many of them attended Brian, Tyrone, Archie and Princess Lockeroo's classes.» As a result arm movements and a a combination of Waacking and Vogue started to spread internationally.
(More info in the section of each country) The new generation of Waackers in New York was a YouTube generation
» Both Lockeroo and Kumari used this platform to help build the community. » Their YouTube and Facebook content created big interest for the style in all corners of the world. » During 2008-2013 Kumari visited about 40 countries as the demand for waacking became bigger. The Waackers travelled as much as possible. →In 2008 they performed in London and met the UK-Waackers "Waacktitioners. " → The two dance crews arranged to do a crew battle. → In 2010 the battle happened →Among the judges: Sonia Soulshine - a waacking pioneer in Europe since 1997. →Also judging: Patrick - a waacker from the 80s generation.
Waacking start to develop more places »Tyrone Proctor used IHOW, Imperial house of waacking, to highlight and honor the pioneers in each country
» King Aus and Alissa Chloe gave classes and events in different countries » Lockeroo became famous for her "Helicopter style" of waacking. She travelled the world to spread the style. » Kumari travelled as much as possible to give workshops. She later created "BollyWaack" style in the mid 2010's - mixing Asian folk dance with waacking.
» Scroll down for the international timeline of the development of Waacking globally
» It is very clear that Brian Greens work resulted in rebirth of a style almost disappearing completely.
» The dancers evolving from his stunt was key to bringing the dancestyle into a global sensation
Chapter 6 - Waacking as an established style
Globally waacking is still growing. » Some continents or country have a richer community than others.
» Many countries don't have any waacking communities, or know anything about the style.
» Most countries have very small communities and struggle to generate new generations of waackers.
» Among the biggest communities by 2026 is in Korea, Japan, India, Mexico, Brazil, Italy, Russia, Poland, Taiwan and China.
» Local pioneers have worked hard and passionate to create local communities.
» Most nations have received help from neighbor nations in order to learn, grow and organize events.
» Social Media's have been a big impact on spreading the style and helping it survive. Also, this helps: » KPop music industry (Korean pop) incorporated more waacking in their choreographies. » In 2023 Korean Waacker Waackxxxy won the world final in Red Bull Dance Your Style Battle as the first waacker to win the world final ever. » In India, the TV Series "Waack Girls". was aired in 2024 (Available on Prime video) » Paris, France, waacking was showcased on the opening ceremony at Summer Olympics 2024. » In 2018 the winner of Irelands Got Talent was a waacker » TikTok became a global hit and have included waacking in many dance challenges.
» Waacking have in countries like Norway, Korea and Netherlands become a small part of the dance academy's educations syllabus. » Many nations have incorporated Waacking with their folk dance. Creating fusions with waacking - such as SalsaWaack, Falemco Waacking, AfroWaack and Arabic Belly Dance x Waacking.
The importance of remembering the history
Throughout the history waacking: ⟢ Have been a style with much politics. ⟢ It is a result of oppression and liberation.
⟢ It highlights emotions, joy and freedom.
⟢ It almost disappeared forever, and are still struggling to survive globally.
When judging a waacking battle or giving classes we need to remember the origin. Respecting the struggle of the pioneers. Honoring the passionate dancrs who worked hard make the style be understood by new communities. ⟢ Waacking is still a style in countries where homosexuality is seen as a crime
⟢ Waacking is still a style in countries where freedom to express your sexuality, gay or straight, is tabu
⟢ Waacking is still a style in a world where not everyone feel safe to express their emotions
⟢ Meaning: Waacking is still politicalAlso it is important to remember how many dance styles have lost their roots. ⟢ HipHop struggled for decades to be respected by academical society due to lack of written history.
⟢ Globalization have made dance more available, but also more in danger of being misunderstood.
⟢ Artistic freedom and evolution is necessary for any dancestyle, but with such a poetic history and psychologically strengthening foundation - waacking's origin deserve to be honored. The history explains why waackers: ᯓ★ Focus on expression and emotions when competing.
ᯓ★ Focus on being authentic as a human in your dance.
ᯓ★ Why we make postures and the big arm movements.
ᯓ★ Suddenly act out like old theatre plays in our dance
ᯓ★ Are open, friendly and welcoming to new dancers entering. Even when competing.
ᯓ★ Dance together with the opponent in competitions.
ᯓ★ Work with complex musicality
Waacking is realness. Waacking is love.
Source; Irlin in research, source of information: Panel talk with Archie Burnett 2017/2018. Panel talk with Tyrone Proctor Paris 2019.Personal interview with Kumari Suraj. Italian web article with interview with Miss Mini (Italy). Interview with Viktor - an Norwegian article by Hanne Os Vold. YouTube interview with Dallas, Anna Sanchez, Archie Burnet and Tyrone Proctor. Personal interview with students of Viktor Manoel, Shabba Doo, Archie & Tyrone. Personal interview with Lorena V.YouTube & Facebook posts from IHOWs. Conversations with IHOWs and Pioneers
READ MORE LOCAL HISTORY OF DIFFERENT COUNTRIES:
(Click on the country link to read full history of the country) 1999French dancers bring Waacking from USA to France and the style have started to develop in Portugal. 2000 Waacking starts developing in Canada.
Waacking starts to develop in Austria.
2001
Dancer return from stay in New York and starts teaching Waacking as the IHOW on Iceland.
2004 Waacking starts developing in Hong Kong.
2005
Waacking starts to develop in mainland China, Brazil and Great Britain.
2006
Waacking starts to develop in Mexico and Croatia. Singapore dancer starts bringing Waacking from Japan to Singapore.
2007 Waacking have started to be developed in Denmark. Waacking starts to develop in South Africa.
2008 Waacking starts developing in Russia., Sweden and Argentina. Waacking starts to develop in Spain and Germany. Waacking have started to develop quickly in Korea. Punking classes are running in Taiwan, 15 years after a Taiwan artist performed waacking in his performances.
2009
Dancers starts teaching waacking after bringing the style from Denmark to Norway. The interest have started to grow in Poland and the first Waacking workshop was held.Waacking starts to develop in Hungary.
2010 Waacking starts developing in Malaysia, Belgium, Latvia and ItalyWaacking was introduced through jazz classes in Luxemburg.A group of dancers bring Waacking into their routines in Netherlands.Waacking starts developing in Vietnam, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Bulgaria.
Waacking sessions are popping up in Czech Replublic.
2011 Waacking starts to develop in Romania, Lithuania and India. Waacking starts to develop in Colombia and Slovakia.
Drag icon and a pop icon starts to grow a community in Thailand.
2014 Waacking starts developing in New Zealand, Costa Rica and Cypros. Scottish dancer travel to Los Angeles and returns with waacking to Scotland.
Waacking starts developing in Kyrgyzstan.
2015
Waacking starts popping up in Estonia.
2016 Waacking starts to develop in the Philippines and first waacker appears in Iran. Waacking starts to get promoted as a style and classes appear in Malta.Waacking is starting to develop in Panama.
2018 Winner of Irelands Got Talent is performing Waacking in Ireland. Videos online of Waacking starts to appear from Nepal. BollyWaack starts to spread though south Asia an a few dancers post videos from the Waacking-variation in Bangladesh. The first waacker in Egypt starts to study the style online, and classes starts running in Bolivia.
2019 A workshop in Waacking is hosted in Pakistan, but no community are building up. Belgium Ankie gives a waacking workshop in Morocco and the community starts to grow.Videos of waackers appear in Guatemala.
2020
The first waacking battle was organized in Sri Lanka.
2021 The first Waacking Event Discover SW was organized in Switzerland.Dancers in Uganda starts taking online classes and grow interest for Waacking in Uganda.10 years after Hip Hop dance arrive in the country people in Iraq are introduced to Waacking.
Finish girl start teaching waacking in Tanzania.The first waacking team is established in Moldova.
2022
Russian waacker moves abroad due to the war and starts teaching in Armenia.
Waacking starts to develop in El Salvador and videos of waacking appears in Myanmar.
2023 Waacking classes starts to pop up in United Arab Emirates. Waacking starts to develop in Serbia.
2024 Waacking World festival vol 1 is organized in Peru
2025
Waacking arms are seen in the Red Bull Dance Your Style in Kenya.