Backup dancer

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.

A backup dancer performing for Mark Wills

Backup dancers

Some 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

•  

  Balinese dancers in 1937 performing in a kecak

See also

• Corps de ballet
• Backing vocalist
• Extra (actor)
• Taxi dancer – a paid dancer in a partner-dance

References

1. Storr, Will (5 June 2011). "The truth about life as a background dancer". The Telegraph. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
2. "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.
3. Schwarz, Hunter (26 April 2014). "Kevin Federline Was A Backup Dancer In A Justin Timberlake Music Video". Buzzfeed. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
4. Battan, Carrie (22 July 2014). "Interviews: FKA twigs". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
5. "Cris Judd Talks Jennifer Lopez Marriage: "You're No Longer a Normal Person"". Us Weekly. 14 September 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
6. . KBS Global. Archived from the original on 25 January 2007. Retrieved 18 February 2007.
7. Tupac Shakur – Thug Angel (The Life of an Outlaw). 2002.
8. . Hotshotdigital.com. Archived from the original on 13 January 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
9. Edwards, Paul, 2009, How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC, Chicago Review Press, p. 330.
10. "From Backup Dancer To 'The Wire': How A Scar Transformed A Career". NPR. 21 June 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
11. "Zendaya Coleman Danced In Sears Commercial With Selena Gomez Before She Was Famous!". huffpost. 2 August 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2022.

Further reading

• 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.