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.

Lee Know from (for BTS)^[2]

Stray Kids

from Girls' Generation (for BoA)

Kim Hyo-yeon

and Kang Daniel (for Shihyun and Cao Lu)

Yoon Ji-sung

(for Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani, Pink, Christina Milian, and LFO)^[3]

Kevin Federline

^[4]

FKA twigs

(for ex-wife Jennifer Lopez' 2001 video "Love Don't Cost a Thing")^[5]

Cris Judd

(for the New Kids on the Block, MC Hammer and Janet Jackson's 1993 video "That's the Way Love Goes")

Jennifer Lopez

(for Park Jin-young and Park Ji-yoon)^[6]

Rain

(for the Digital Underground)^[7]^[8]^[9]

Tupac Shakur

^[10]

Michael K. Williams

^[11]

Zendaya

Some performers began their music careers as backup dancers for other artists, including:

Balinese dancers in 1937 performing in a kecak

Corps de ballet

Backing vocalist

Extra (actor)

– a paid dancer in a partner-dance

Taxi dancer

Oshmyansky, Rosalyn (23 August 2014). . Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved 4 March 2015.

"Snake Bites Nicki Minaj's Backup Dancer at VMA Rehearsal"

. Yahoo News. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2015.

"Meet Jay-Z and Beyonce's Incredible Backup Dancers"

Spiegel, Amy Rose (11 June 2013). . BuzzFeed. Retrieved 4 March 2015.

"How Do You Even Become A Backup Dancer?"

. WXIA-TV. 1 March 2013. Archived from the original on 9 March 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2015.