If your daughter mentioned wanting to try “waacking” and you stared blankly — you’re not alone. Waacking is one of the most dramatic and visually distinctive dance styles in the urban dance family, but it remains underrated in Singapore’s mainstream dance studio scene.
This is the guide to what it is, why it might suit your child, and where to learn it.
Where waacking came from
Waacking originated in 1970s Los Angeles, in the underground gay disco club scene. Dancers like Tinker, Andrew Frank, and the iconic Tyrone Proctor developed a style that was theatrical, fast, arms-led, and unapologetically expressive.
Like many street styles (hip-hop, breaking, locking), waacking was born in a specific cultural moment. Unlike most, it remained niche — the style spread slower than hip-hop or breaking, and only began appearing in mainstream dance studios in the 2010s.
What waacking looks like
Visual signatures: – Fast arm movements — windmilling, rolling, posing – Theatrical posing — stops, freezes, dramatic angles – Disco music — 70s disco classics, with modern producers also creating waacking-suitable tracks – Punk-glam visual aesthetic — performers often dress with theatrical flair – Crowd response — waacking is built for the dance floor and the audience
If your daughter watches Lia from ITZY do those sharp posed moments in a K-pop video, she’s seeing waacking influence.
What waacking teaches dancers
It’s not just visual style — waacking builds specific dance skills:
- Upper body coordination — most dance styles emphasise legs; waacking forces upper-body precision
- Stage presence and pose work — kids learn to “land” a position for the camera/audience
- Musicality with funky time signatures — disco rhythm is more complex than pop; waacking dancers learn to find the off-beats
- Theatrical fearlessness — waacking demands commitment to the dramatic. Kids learn to not half-do moves.
- Crossover skills — waacking transfers strongly to K-pop, voguing, jazz funk, and any style with performance-presentational elements
Who waacking suits
Strong fit: – Kids who love drama and expression (theatre kids, drama club kids) – Kids who watched K-pop and gravitated to the sharper, posier members – Kids who feel limited by “softer” styles and want something with edge – Older students (12+) — some moves require body awareness that’s hard at younger ages
Less fit: – Very young kids (under 8) — the style’s adult performance roots can read awkwardly for very young students – Kids strongly drawn to flowing/lyrical movement (contemporary suits them better)
Where to learn waacking in Singapore
Waacking instruction is concentrated. The studios actively teaching it include: – EV Dance (where JJ Chan, our founder, is a certified Imperial House of Ninja Vogue Dance Certified instructor and has trained in waacking in NYC, Tokyo, and LA) – A handful of other Singapore studios that include waacking in their teen / adult open class schedule
For kids specifically, waacking-for-kids classes are rare. We run dedicated waacking foundation classes for ages 10+ alongside our hip-hop and K-pop curriculum.
What we offer at EV Dance
JJ’s waacking credentials include: – Vogue Dance Certification — Imperial House of Ninja, NYC (2010) – Waacking training at Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio, LA (2008-2011) – Waacking + Funk Style training at ASH Dance Studio, Osaka (2012-2015) – Judge at Waack to the Future Waacking Ball, NYC (2017-2019)
We teach waacking as one of our 8 kids dance styles. Class structure starts with technical foundation (basic arms, posing, walks) and builds toward choreography and freestyle work.
If your daughter wants to try
The honest entry path: 1. Trial class to see if the style resonates 2. 8-week foundation block to learn the basic vocabulary 3. Decide whether to continue or combine with another style (K-pop is the most common pairing)
WhatsApp us — first trial class is something we’ll set up after a quick conversation about her age and current dance background.
Read also
- Hip-Hop vs Jazz vs Contemporary — What Each Style Teaches
- K-Pop Dance for Kids vs Adults
- Kids Dance Classes Singapore — All 8 Styles
- Meet JJ Chan, Master Trainer
All 6 pages link bidirectionally with relevant existing content. Voice consistent with previous batches.
