Greg Campbellock Jr Pope

Greg Pope, professionally known as Greg "Campbellock Jr." Pope, was an original member of The Lockers and a foundational figure in the development and global transmission of locking dance. Sources differ on his birth year and place: Street Dance Roots records April 5, 1952 at Fort McClellan in Calhoun County, Alabama, while The Lockers' official history lists 1951 and Anniston, Alabama. He came of age in Southern California and attended Compton High School. Before joining The Lockers, Pope participated in the *Soul Train* dance community and the Watts Writers Workshop group Creative Generation, where he developed his distinctive approach to locking.

Pope joined The Lockers in 1973 as one of seven original members. The complete lineup first appeared on television under the group's name on ABC's *In Concert* on November 23, 1973. The Lockers' presentation combined sharply individualized improvisation with comic characterization, coordinated routines, and a bold visual identity. Over their first three years, the group performed in more than 100 appearances across television, film, and live entertainment. Pope participated in a remarkable sequence of 1970s performances: he appeared on *The Midnight Special* in 1974, performed as a featured guest on *Soul Train* in January 1975, and danced on *Saturday Night Live* in October 1975. The Lockers also opened for Frank Sinatra at Carnegie Hall in 1975.

After Toni Basil and Fred Berry left The Lockers in 1976, Pope continued with the remaining original members and worked with Basil in various capacities until 1987. By the late 1970s he had transitioned from The Lockers' continuing performing unit and developed an international teaching career. Over the following decades, memorial accounts describe workshops, performances, and judging across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, with particular emphasis on preserving and explaining locking technique to new generations.

In 2009, Pope joined five other surviving original members in creating and co-signing The Lockers' official history. On January 27, 2010, the original members reunited at the Choreographers Carnival in Los Angeles to receive lifetime achievement recognition. Pope died in the Los Angeles area on January 28, 2010. His historical importance rests both in his early contributions to locking vocabulary and in his work as a teacher and mentor—roles through which the form reached street-dance communities worldwide.