I am an original soul train dancer and pioneer of Locking & Robotics from the end of the 1960s civil rights era. I have taught these dances around the world, witnessing firsthand how international marketing has appropriated these cultural expressions, reducing them to mere entertainment. Streetdance was born out of social issues in Afro American and Afro Latin communities in US cities. Today, its original message is being lost.

These dances - locking, popping, waacking, & over all  hip hop  as a dance are not just performances; they are embodiments of our history and struggle. They carry a legacy that must be preserved. The foundation upon which they were built needs to be correctly taught to future generations.

However, this can only happen with a unified movement dedicated to protecting cultural dances. We need policies that ensure their correct representation and education about their origins.

According to a study by Dance USA (2019), there is a significant lack of diversity in dance education across America's schools with less than 20% including cultural dance forms in their curriculum.

We call on educational institutions worldwide to include comprehensive studies on streetdance's historical context within their curriculums. We also urge international dance organizations to advocate for preserving the authenticity of these dances.

Help us protect our culture from appropriation and misrepresentation by signing this petition today!