Top 10 Moments We Found Out a Singer Was a Great Dancer
#10: Usher
“You Make Me Wanna…” (1997) The R&B singer made his debut as a teenager, but this 1997 single announced a new era. While he always had the moves, the music video for “You Make Me Wanna…” put his abilities front and center. It had some of the most elaborate choreography of Usher’s music videos up to that point. He didn’t just keep pace with his backup dancers. He commanded the spotlight, whether it was a closeup or a group shot. The fact that he could recreate his moves in live performances of the song just proved he was the real thing.
#9: Bruno Mars
“Runaway Baby” (2010) In 2010, this singer/songwriter exploded onto the scene with multiple chart-topping singles, but it wasn’t until his debut album released that we got to see him in uptempo mode. While songs like “Grenade” didn’t exactly call for a dance break, “Runaway Baby” gave him ample opportunity to introduce that old-fashioned showmanship he’s become known for. Invoking soul man James Brown, Mars demonstrated his fanciest footwork alongside his equally talented bandmates in live performances. Honestly, the minimum requirements to get into this band must be insane. Before “Uptown Funk,” this early song was probably many peoples’ first exposure to his talent for dancing.
#8: Ciara
“Goodies” (2004) This multi-hyphenate singer, songwriter, and businesswoman was an instant hit. Her debut single “Goodies” is a standout of the mid-2000s. Not only did it showcase her already established songwriting abilities, but the music video showcased her effortless dance moves. When she’s not blowing us away with her voice, she’s tearing it up with her backup dancers. It was also our first taste of her signature move, the “Matrix,” which she always pulls off with gravity-defying ease. Her follow-up hit, “1, 2 Step” leaned even further into these skills, delivering a new dance craze to her fans.
#7: Lady Gaga
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“Just Dance” (2008) A gazillion singles ago, Lady Gaga was breaking through with a club banger called “Just Dance.” Since then, she’s been hailed as one of the greats. But no one watching her in 2008 knew exactly what to expect from her first few TV performances, which took place on Miss Universe 2008 and “So You Think You Can Dance”. She more than held her own, clearly singing live as she kept up with the intense choreography. Gaga arrived with a natural stage presence and a commitment to becoming a pop sensation, and her dances have only become even more iconic since.
#6: Madonna
“Everybody” (1982) Speaking of pop sensations … Madonna can sing, she can dance, she can act, she can write songs, and she can sell out stadiums. But in 1982, Madonna Louise Ciccone wasn’t yet the “Queen of Pop.” She was just an aspiring artist booking gigs as a backup dancer to people she would later eclipse. When stardom called, she was more than ready to answer. Fans may have heard her on the radio first, but once she started making her rounds on TV with her first hit, “Everybody,” everyone got the message. A music video soon followed. It was the world’s first look at her own unique brand of energetic, seductive, and alluring performances.
#5: Beyoncé
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“Work It Out” (2002) Sure, we already knew that Beyoncé could move, thanks to her performances and music videos as part of Destiny’s Child. But it was when she took the spotlight for her own that we really began to appreciate the depth of her dance skills. One of her earliest film roles, as Foxxy Cleopatra, allowed her to showcase her talents as a true frontwoman. The single from that movie, “Work It Out,” gave her a chance to dance center stage, and ushered in a whole new realm of possibilities. The funky, underrated classic features slinky, sultry sounds, and Beyoncé had the moves to match.
#4: Britney Spears
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“...Baby One More Time” (1999) Disney fans may have known about young Britney Spears, but it was this song in 1999 that launched her, and her dancing skills, to the top of the charts. Not only did her pigtails and schoolgirl uniform become her most memorable look this side of her run-in with a python, it also allowed for a wide range of movement. Throughout the video for her signature song, Britney Spears is seen flipping, shimmying and throwing herself into some pretty demanding, body-bending choreography. This isn’t the standard posing and half-stepping of a new singer. This is genuine talent. Her moves have become a staple of her live shows ever since.
#3: Elvis Presley
"Hound Dog" (1956) In 1956, he wasn’t the king of rock and roll yet. Elvis was just a kid from Tennessee by way of Mississippi who’d learned how to move and sing from African-American blues and gospel artists. Once he brought his provocative, hip-swinging style of dance to television, it was a sensation. His first two TV appearances on “The Milton Berle Show” were scandalous. He was deemed “Elvis the Pelvis” by critics who believed the way he moved was a legitimate threat to society. Urban legend suggests that some shows would only shoot him from the waist up after that. Whether or not it’s true, the moment America first saw what he could do with his hips was a huge cultural flashpoint.
#2: Janet Jackson
“What Have You Done for Me Lately” (1986) Although Janet made a lot of early appearances as an actress and a performer alongside her siblings, her persona as a solo artist wouldn’t be perfected until the 1980s. “What Have You Done for Me Lately” was not her debut, but it completely reshaped her image as a singular artist. The intense shoulder action is still iconic after all these years. Jackson’s performance of Paula Abdul’s electric choreography revolutionized the music video form, and set the stage for some of the most famous dance sequences in pop music.
#1: Michael Jackson
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“I Want You Back” (1969) When Michael Jackson made his national TV debut alongside brothers Tito, Jackie, Marlon, and Jermaine, it was hard to believe someone that young contained that much talent. In a 1969 “Hollywood Palace” performance, Michael and his brothers wowed the crowd with their first big hit, “I Want You Back.” The raw materials that would make him the “King of Pop” are on full display. Introduced by none other than fellow Motown artist Diana Ross, it’s clear that Michael really is the star of the group. His smoothness and innate skill was evident even then. Of course, his record-breaking career afterward speaks for itself.
