Popping: The Dance Style That Creates an Illusion

In the modern world, the dance style known as popping is becoming more and more popular every year. Unfortunately, that wasn't always the case.

The origins of popping date back to the 1960s and 1970s. It's impossible to pinpoint a single creator, as dancers throughout California developed this style. However, many sources claim that Sam Solomon is the father of modern popping. He simply transformed the existing dance found across California and created his own version.

By the way, the name 'popping' was also coined by Sam Solomon in 1976. The confusion arose because dancers performing the same choreography called it by different names. That's why true popping enthusiasts still debate the terminology. Back then, the term 'Boogaloo' was often used, which simply means 'to dance'.

In 1974, in a small California town, an interesting duo formed between two boys—one was 12, the other 13. After a year of practicing together, they started a crew called 'Ace Tre Lockers'. Because of the name, everyone assumed they were professional locking dancers. By then, the boys had already invented over 60 different moves and were gaining popularity among local dancers.

Meanwhile, Sam Solomon had formed his own crew and was recruiting talented dancers. He noticed 'Ace Tre Lockers' and invited the now 14-year-old boys to join. They agreed. That's how the crew 'Electronic Boogaloo Lockers' began appearing more frequently at California dance events, and popping grew in popularity.

At the very end of the 1970s, the term 'Lockers' was dropped from the crew's name, leading to misunderstandings. Eventually, at the last rehearsal before a concert, Sam and one of the 'Ace Tre Lockers' members had a serious disagreement over choreography. Sam couldn't take the arguments anymore and left, slamming the door behind him.

The crew continued performing without him, but by 1979 it had disbanded. While popping saw a huge surge in popularity in the 1970s with many devoted fans, its popularity plummeted in the 1980s, and by the 1990s, the style was almost forgotten.

Meanwhile, while popping was experiencing its ups and downs overseas, Russia was largely unaware of the dance style. Due to strict government restrictions, Russia had almost no contact with foreign dancers, and information was scarce. For a time, popping was even considered a type of upper breakdance. But with the advent of the 21st century, the situation began to change. The growth of the internet, dance shows on television, Russian dancers traveling abroad, and other developments greatly contributed to the development of Russian dancers.

All popping choreography consists of sharp muscle contractions throughout the body.

There are several main styles:

— The first (and perhaps the most visually striking of all popping moves) is Waving. The dancer creates a wave effect with their entire body. It looks truly impressive.

— The Gliding move is somewhat reminiscent of Michael Jackson's famous walk. The feet move lightly and effortlessly across the floor, creating the illusion that the dancer is floating through the air.

— King Tut is a dance move where the dancer creates various and quite complex geometric shapes with their hands.

— The fourth and also very popular move is Puppet. The dancer's arms seem tied to strings, as if someone is pulling them and controlling the dancer like a marionette.