Waacking / Whacking

Waacking, also spelled whacking, is a street dance built on fast, whipping arm movements, sharp poses, and expressive musicality danced to disco and funk. It grew out of a style called punking in the underground gay clubs of Los Angeles during the 1970s, with Black and Latino gay men central to its creation. The dance let performers claim glamour and freedom at a time of heavy stigma. It faded as the disco era ended, then was revived and carried worldwide through the street dance and competition scene beginning in the 2000s. Today waacking is recognized as a foundational art form with deep roots in queer club culture.