A backup dancer also known as background dancer[1] is a performer who dances with or behind the lead performers in a live musical act or in a music video. Their movements (especially where there are many moving together) improve the visual aesthetics of the lead performer, and provide a symmetry and rhythm to accompany the music.
Backup dancers
editSome performers began their music careers as backup dancers for other artists, including:
- Lee Know from Stray Kids (for BTS)[2]
- Kim Hyo-yeon from Girls' Generation (for BoA)[citation needed]
- Yoon Ji-sung and Kang Daniel (for Shihyun and Cao Lu)[citation needed]
- Kevin Federline (for Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani, Pink, Christina Milian, and LFO)[3]
- FKA twigs[4]
- Cris Judd (for ex-wife Jennifer Lopez' 2001 video "Love Don't Cost a Thing")[5]
- Jennifer Lopez (for the New Kids on the Block, MC Hammer and Janet Jackson's 1993 video "That's the Way Love Goes")[citation needed]
- Rain (for Park Jin-young and Park Ji-yoon)[6]
- Tupac Shakur (for the Digital Underground)[7][8][9]
- Michael K. Williams[10]
- Zendaya[11]
Gallery
edit-
Balinese dancers in 1937 performing in a kecak
See also
edit- Corps de ballet
- Backing vocalist
- Extra (actor)
- Taxi dancer – a paid dancer in a partner-dance
References
edit- ^ Storr, Will (5 June 2011). "The truth about life as a background dancer". The Telegraph. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ^ "Watch: Stray Kids' Lee Know Talks About Being BTS's Back-Up Dancer + Shows His Part In "Not Today" Performance". Soompi. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
- ^ Schwarz, Hunter (26 April 2014). "Kevin Federline Was A Backup Dancer In A Justin Timberlake Music Video". Buzzfeed. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
- ^ Battan, Carrie (22 July 2014). "Interviews: FKA twigs". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
- ^ "Cris Judd Talks Jennifer Lopez Marriage: "You're No Longer a Normal Person"". Us Weekly. 14 September 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
- ^ "Pop star Rain (Bi), reaching out beyond Asia". KBS Global. Archived from the original on 25 January 2007. Retrieved 18 February 2007.
- ^ Tupac Shakur – Thug Angel (The Life of an Outlaw). 2002.
- ^ "Tupac Shakur". Hotshotdigital.com. Archived from the original on 13 January 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
- ^ Edwards, Paul, 2009, How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC, Chicago Review Press, p. 330.
- ^ "From Backup Dancer To 'The Wire': How A Scar Transformed A Career". NPR. 21 June 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
- ^ "Zendaya Coleman Danced In Sears Commercial With Selena Gomez Before She Was Famous!". huffpost. 2 August 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
Further reading
edit- Oshmyansky, Rosalyn (23 August 2014). "Snake Bites Nicki Minaj's Backup Dancer at VMA Rehearsal". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- "Meet Jay-Z and Beyonce's Incredible Backup Dancers". Yahoo News. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- Spiegel, Amy Rose (11 June 2013). "How Do You Even Become A Backup Dancer?". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- "P!nk backup dancer is from Atlanta - Video". WXIA-TV. 1 March 2013. Archived from the original on 9 March 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2015.