Waacking Showcase – Rays of Sunshine

Rays of Sunshine is a dance group based in Utrecht, founded by the Social Dance Club.

The group consists of several dancers who represent the wonderful club dance style known as whacking. Whacking is a dance style that originated from Punking. Punking emerged in the 1970s within the underground Black and Latino gay club scene in Los Angeles. Due to societal oppression of this community, the clubs provided a place for them to escape the daily discrimination they faced. Here, they felt free and unrestrained. Set to the (disco) music of the time, the dancers move with great expressiveness. Inspired by Hollywood films, comic books and martial arts, amongst other things, they created their own stories on the dance floor.

In their showcase A Deeper Love, the Rays of Sunshine tell their story of how one can lose oneself in an increasingly fast-paced society. Each dancer brings their own authentic form of expression, demonstrating that whacking is a celebration of everyone’s unique essence.