The Dance Moves

Oakland was home to a variety of dance moves that exists in one form or another to this very day.

Oaklands history in Boogaloo started in the late sixties. Most of the moves/styles have been lost in antiquity, but a good number of them exist as an echo of once was. We have listed some of the moves, but this list is incomplete. Many the individual  moves or styles never had a name, but would be practiced by solo dancers you would find in the parks of East Oakland, or in the downtown area. Many of the Solo artists did not enter talent shows or perform as some of the well known groups did. Their drive to dance came from a self interest that only they could envision.

The list will grow as more dancers come forward to share there stories.

Back Slide

Baseball

Bird

Boxes

Blowing up the Chest

Break Down

Chicken

Cowboy – Walking in like it’s a shoot out – Aces of Soul

Creeping: A person with a deliberate walk that stops momentarily to the beat of the music.

Cutting Up

Dimestopping

Dinosaur

Dragon (Dynorama Creep)

Dynorama (animating)

Fat Man

Finger Popping

Hangman

Head in the Oven

Headless Man

Hitting

Lean

Little Ricky’s Car

Looney Cartooney

Mack Pose – Posin on a hoe

Miming: Rope pulls, window, skateboard, levers, leash pull (dog walk), steering wheel.

Noony Cartooney

Oakland boogaloo

Posing

Puppet:

Reserve Move

Robot: The miming of a Robot or a mechanical device.

Scarecrow

Six Million Dollar Man

Slot

Snatching the Head

Spinning

Swoop

Three D (3D) – tickin moves one after another

Tidal Wave

Toilet Stool Move (with hat)

Typewriter

Vibrating

Vibrating pose

Walk Outs

Waving

Worming

11 thoughts on “The Dance Moves

  1. Hello I really enjoy this story for my life is part of this story about the bungleloos I was a mascot of Fremont high school 1973 the tiger my name is Melvin Add I just had to say something because this is part of my life one thing I notice the list of the different dances I don’t see the chicken the chicken was 1 of this dances that started off your cut in what ever you were looking to do ? We played baseball. that was a smooth move? Do you remember Duck from Oakland one of the best dancer I have ever seen. 1972 Fremont Mascot.

  2. Hi, I am a student studying the history of poppin in Korea. I have a question.
    Auckland’s Boogaloo history started in the late ’60s, did it start with Jerry Rente? I want to know who is the first dancer to start Boogaloo.

  3. Duck, Little Willy, and a few others are some of the first boogaloos out of Oakland that probably started dancing in 1965. Jerry and his group were the second wave of dancers, not the first.

  4. Thanks for the reply. Let me ask you a few more questions.
    1.Excuse me, are you also a boogaloo dancer? If not, what is your relationship with the boogaloo dancers?
    2.Are there any videos or material that Duck and Little Willy are the first Auckland’s Boogaloo dancers?
    I’m confused because I saw a scene where Jerry said “Boogaloo is came for me” in an interview.
    3. As stated in ‘the groups’, was the first team ‘One Plus One Pre’?

  5. Yes am also a dancer. If you want more information I suggest you ask the creator of this website. His name is Charles Powell of the Black Messengers. You can reach him directly on Instagram. His user name is @charlespowell6377

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