Don Campbell (dancer)
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Don Campbell | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 8, 1951 |
| Died | March 30, 2020 (aged 69) |
| Other names | Campbellock |
| Style | Locking |
| Website | https://campbellock.dance/ |
Don "Campbellock" Campbell (January 8, 1951 – March 30, 2020) was an American dancer and choreographer who was best known for having invented the "locking" dance,[1] and for his work with The Lockers. Born in Saint Louis, Missouri in January 1951, Campbell discovered dance while studying commercial art at Los Angeles Trade–Technical College.[2]
In 1971, Campbell joined the cast of Soul Train once the program arrived in Los Angeles. He was a featured dancer until 1973, when he was removed from the program for requesting that performers be paid.[3] He then recruited other dancers who had been removed for the same reason, and with them founded the Lockers.[4]
Campbell recorded a song in 1972 titled, "The Campbellock", to go with his new high-flying, groundbreaking dance. He also established his own dance ensemble, The Campbellock Dancers. They later changed their name to The Lockers. Campbell's then girlfriend Toni Basil, former student Fred Berry, Adolfo "Shabadoo" Quinones were onetime members of the group.
The Lockers appeared with some of the greatest entertainers of all time: Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Carol Burnett, Doris Day, Dinah Shore, Merv Griffin, Bill Cosby, Roger Miller, Johnny Carson, Dick Van Dyke, Aretha Franklin, John Denver, Roberta Flack, Michael Landon, Richard Pryor, Bette Midler, Donny and Marie Osmond, Howard Cosell, and Cheech & Chong.
The Lockers also appeared on television shows including The Carol Burnett Show (as The Campbellock Dancers), The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (first as The Campbellock Dancers, then as The Lockers), What's Happening (as "The Rockets"), ABC in Concert, The Grammys, The Oscars, and Saturday Night Live (as the first non-musical group to perform on the show). Campbell and his various troupes went on to amass over 80 credits to their name before retiring the act in the early 1980s.
Cultural impact
Some of the most popular videos of years past have featured Campbell's signature steps, predominantly by artists such as The Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Wyclef Jean, Snoop Dogg, Jermaine Dupri, Busta Rhymes, Aaliyah, and Mýa. Janet Jackson produced videos to help promote her Rhythm Nation album, which featured Campbell's original steps. Michael Jackson used his Locking style extensively in his choreography for all of his tours and videos.
