Backup dancer

Performer who dances with or behind the lead performer

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

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

References

^ 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.