Waacking: A Shift from Gay Refusal to Gender Refusal

Abstract

The medium of dance is most often valued in Western society for its artistry and great skill of movement. However, the beauty of this medium often overshadows its ability to create pointed, and often political, messages through the body’s kinesthetic movement in physical space. As embodied expression through time and space, dance must be understood as an art form that actively seeks to create meaning (Hellensleben 2010), a fact that is acutely evident in the dance form known as Waacking. Born out of improvisation-based techniques, Waacking originated in gay, Black and Latino underground disco clubs of 1970’s Los Angeles. The gestures of Waacking were inspired by classical Hollywood glamour actresses, culminating in the distinctive fast, rhythmic arm whipping typical of this dance style. Yet, it is the more performative elements of the dance that holds one’s interest by including components of large locomotion, dramatic gesture and facial expression, and a compelling narrative. This expressive style of movement resulted in Waacking becoming a catalyst for gay refusal, functioning as a method for gay men to express themselves and fully explore their identity. Through an analysis of personal experience and online videos in dialogue with the methodologies of embodiment, phenomenology, and performativity, I will explore how Waacking has shifted from a form of gay refusal to a form of gender refusal, allowing there to be a renegotiation of gender standards through the catalyst of black queer kinesthetics and gender kinesthetics.