Disco-era arm-heavy dance style born in 1970s LGBTQ+ clubs that experienced a global renaissance in the 2010s through competition dance and social media visibility.
Origins
Created in early 1970s LA gay clubs (Gino’s II, Studio One) by Black and Latino queer dancers. Original name: “Punking” (reclaimed slur), later “Whacking,” standardized as “Waacking” in 2000s.
Style: Fast arm movements, posing inspired by Old Hollywood glamour (Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich), vogueing’s older sibling.
Founders: Tyrone Proctor, Arthur “Tinker” Winfrey, Andrew “Shabba-Doo” Quiñones
2010s Global Explosion
- 2013-2016: K-pop choreography integration (Wonder Girls, 2NE1, Sunmi “Gashina”)
- 2015: Waacking battles featured on World of Dance
- 2017-2019: Instagram choreography videos, Yanis Marshall high-heels waacking fusion
- Pose (FX 2018-2021): Ballroom/vogue culture visibility lifted all club styles
Waacking vs Voguing
Both LGBTQ+ club-origin, but:
- Waacking: LA, disco, Old Hollywood glamour, arm emphasis
- Voguing: NYC, house music, fashion magazine poses, angular/geometric
Current Scene
Major competitions: Waacking Out (Amsterdam), House Dance International, Freestyle Session
Instructors: Princess Lockerooo (Japan), Kumari Suraj (India), Les Twins (fusion)
Cultural Significance
Preserves LGBTQ+ club history while evolving globally. Empowerment through expressive arm work, gender fluidity in movement.
Related
- #Voguing, #DiscoEra, #LGBTQ, #BallroomCulture, #Pose