Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm

What is Waacking/Whacking?  

Waacking/Whacking is a dance style that originated in the 1970s in the underground disco clubs of Los Angeles within the Hispanic and African American LGBTQ+ communities. It is a dance style heavily influenced by characters from Hollywood movies, cartoons, and black-and-white films. As a performative dance style, it places a strong emphasis on musicality, especially in disco music, where dancers use their arms and bodies to create movements that highlight the various layers in the music. Over the course of more than 50 years, the dance style has transformed and evolved to become what it is today, offering diverse possibilities for the future. 

What to expect in the workshop?  

Prerequisite 

Previous experience with Whacking/Waacking: This workshop follows the “Antanzen” Waacking format with Sienna. If you do not have prior experience with this dance style, we recommend attending the “Antanzen Waacking” session with Sienna in March or April before participating in this workshop. 

The workshop will initially focus on physical awareness, including warm-up exercises to prevent injuries. This will be followed by an exploration of music to develop a clearer understanding and feeling of musicality in dance. Throughout the workshop, participants will learn movements and techniques, culminating in an introduction to “Character” and “Performance.”