


The choreography combined militaristic precision, hip-hop steps, popping and locking in a tight ensemble that was at the time unlike anything anyone had seen. With the hip-hop choreography by street dancer Anthony "BamBam" Thomas it was cutting edge in 1989. Here are 7 of my favorite 1980s music videos that featured new jazz dance innovations front and center. It was an exciting decade in the dance world. And then there were the numerous dance movies such as Flashdance, Breakin’ and Fast Forward.
Paula abdul straight up 1989 music movie#
Every 80’s movie had to have a montage that was basically a music video within the movie. Besides changing the way we looked at dance, the music video industry opened a whole new world of job opportunities for dancers and connected to the film industry, especially since prominent film directors became involved in the creation of music videos. Music videos are an aspect of dance history that tend to be minimized. It is a presence in the most memorable and enduring music videos. Dance in music videos captured the imaginations of the MTV audience. Paula Julie Abdul (born ( )June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality.In the process of researching jazz dance history through a grant from the college where I teach, I eagerly anticipated the 1980s because that meant focusing on music videos - a phenomenon that played a major role in the decade’s explosion of dance. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreographer for the Laker Girls, where she was discovered by The Jacksons. Her debut studio album Forever Your Girl (1988) became one of the most successful debut albums at that time, selling seven million copies in the United States and setting a record for the most number-one singles from a debut album on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: " Straight Up", " Forever Your Girl", " Cold Hearted", and " Opposites Attract".Īfter choreographing music videos for Janet Jackson, Abdul became a choreographer at the height of the music video era and soon thereafter she was signed to Virgin Records. Her second album Spellbound (1991) scored her two more Billboard Hot 100 chart toppers: " Rush Rush" and " The Promise of a New Day". Her six number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 tie her with Ariana Grande and Diana Ross for seventh among the female solo performers who have topped the chart.
Paula abdul straight up 1989 music series#
Ībdul was one of the original judges on the television series American Idol from 2002 to 2009, and has since appeared as a judge on The X Factor, Live to Dance, So You Think You Can Dance, and The Masked Dancer. #PAULA ABDUL STRAIGHT UP 1989 VIDEO ORIGINAL SERIES# She has received choreography credits in numerous films, including Can't Buy Me Love (1987), The Running Man (1987), Coming to America (1988), Action Jackson (1988), The Doors (1991), Jerry Maguire (1996), and American Beauty (1999). She has received 17 MTV Video Music Award nominations, winning five, as well as receiving the Grammy Award for Best Music Video for "Opposites Attract" in 1991. She received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography twice for her work on The Tracey Ullman Show, and her own performance at the American Music Awards in 1990. #PAULA ABDUL STRAIGHT UP 1989 VIDEO ORIGINAL SERIES#Ģ.4 2010–2015: Live to Dance, The X Factor and So You Think You Can Dance.2.3 2000–2009: American Idol, Hey Paula and return to music.Ģ.2 1987–1999: Forever Your Girl, Spellbound and Head over Heels.Abdul was honored with her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and is the first entertainer to be honored with the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards' Hall of Fame Award.
