Popping

The style emerged in the 70s, heavily influenced by locking. Its origin is uncertain, as many OGs (the original dancers) have different versions of the story according to their regions and circles of influence. But what is known is that popping started in California, among groups of teenagers who got together to dance.
Popping was responsible for energising robot dancing (which was merely a copy of the mechanical movements of a robot). So much so that one of the style's most classic steps, the boogaloo, was named after a song by James Brown, a legend who always danced in his performances by making waves with his body.
Boogaloo is also the name of the dance style created in the Californian city of Fresno, in 1970, by the American Sam Solomon – better known as Boogaloo Sam. The style features loose and fluid movements that give the impression that the body has no bones, in steps that can resemble those practised by poppers.
Over the years, Sam came to be credited as the creator of popping by many publications.
Popping is based on the rapid contraction and relaxation of muscles to the rhythm of the music, often creating moves that, much like the robot, evoke illusionism. The technique was responsible for the emergence of one of the most famous movements in the dance world, the backslide, immortalised years later by Michael Jackson in the form of the moonwalk.
From the simplest to the most complex movements, popping is today one of the most popular dance styles in the world.