My journey into Locking
About Locking.se
My story and connection to Locking in Sweden – from the 1980s to Funkcamp and today’s generation.
This is my story of discovering Locking and developing my connection to the dance here in Sweden – from the films of the 1980s to meeting pioneers, traveling to Los Angeles and creating Funkcamp.
The 1980s
It started with the films
My interest in Locking began in the 1980s through films such as Breakin’. The style has stayed close to my heart ever since. The steps were already there when I first saw Breakin’, even though I did not yet know the full history or the correct names for what I was seeing.
The 1990s
Clips, conversations and new knowledge
It was not until the 1990s that I began receiving accurate information about the style. I found video clips and spoke with people including Damon Frost, Patrik Helge aka Prime, Be-bop, Karl Dyall, Micke Strandljung and many others.
Later I saw material featuring The Lockers, Don Campbell, Suga-Pop, Skeeter Rabbit and other dancers. The movements already felt familiar, but now the people, roots and cultural context behind them were becoming visible too.
2005
Los Angeles and the beginning of Funkcamp
In 2005 we traveled to the United States and took classes with Don Campbell and other pioneers in Los Angeles. That same autumn, we created the Funkcamp event. It became a meeting place for people with a deep interest in Locking from across Sweden and, in time, from other parts of the world.
Some of us who took this passion deeper into the foundations and roots of the style were Emenuell Schutt, Oskar Pitre, Chalire Prag and Patrik Helge. Many others also deserve to be mentioned, including Isse Omari, Karim Carlsson, Joe Jobe and Benke.
Today
A new generation carries the culture forward
Since Funkcamp began in 2005, younger generations in Sweden have continued to move the culture forward. Funky 4 Brothers made a major impact. Arvidos, Yared, Akira, Jörgen and Mimmi are among those who followed – and there are many more today.
Every generation finds its own expression, but the relationship to the music, the people and the history must remain alive.
Locking / Campbellocking
Why this site exists
Locking.se is grounded in my own history and my connection to Locking in Sweden. It is not a complete account of the entire culture, but one perspective shaped by what I have experienced, learned and been told.
This site is dedicated to the dance style Locking – or Campbellocking, as it was originally called after Don Campbell’s personal freestyle. One person’s way of moving grew into a dance through an entire group of creative people. It spread across the United States and then around the world through television, media and film. This is where we stand today.
The site exists to bring forward the history, people’s own stories and the dance as it really is: energetic, funky, raw and created by the people. From clubs and social dance floors to dance schools and major events.
Over time, the site can grow with stories from other lockers and timelines from more countries. This can give more perspectives, local scenes and personal connections a clear place within the wider history.
More love and soul. Until death do us part.
Knowledge / Stories / Respect
Knowledge passed forward
Much of the historical information I have received comes from O.G. Skeeter Rabbit, Greg “Campbellock Jr.” Pope and Tony GoGo – through their stories, teaching, conversations and documentation.
They deserve clear recognition for the knowledge they shared. Their work and commitment to documenting the culture, its people and its contexts have helped me understand the history and carry it forward from my perspective here in Sweden.
Thank you for the knowledge, the work and the inspiration.