Shabba-Doo
There's only a few days left and I feel like I only scratched the surface. If you would like me to keep going past Hip-Hop History Month, let me know. If not, I'll happily end it when the month is over; you won't hurt my feelings if you tell me you "good". But in the meantime, it wouldn't be a REAL celebration of our culture if we don't celebrate the third element...dance. Fair warning, I know the term "breaking" was a media term, and each style shouldn't be labeled the same, but for the average reader who "isn't involved in the culture like that", I'm going to keep it simple so they don't get lost. So with that said, let's get into it! Hip-Hop History Month, story #13.
Adolfo Quiñones, better known as "Shabba-Doo", was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. His mother raised him as a single parent from the age of three. He had a younger sister named Fawn Quiñones, who was also a dancer, and frequently featured on the musical variety television program Soul Train, from 1971 to the mid seventies - about 1974. When Soul Train moved from Chicago, the two siblings were heart broken. It was then, their mother decided to uproot them, and follow the show to Los Angeles.
The dance culture was completely different in Los Angels as it was from Chicago. Chicago had a laid back, reserved, "coolin" vibe, while LA was a lot more funky and active. One dancer in particular, had a style that caught his eye; it was Don "Campbellock" Campbell. They met at a dance contest at the The Black Student Union, in Fullerton. They became friends and later, started "The Lockers".
He began dancing in clubs around Crenshaw Boulevard and at venues like Club Radio (Radiotron), near MacArthur Park. Break-dance culture was growing at these establishments, and he battled nightly in them with rivals on the dance floor. He started calling himself Sir Lance-a-Lock, which then became Shabba-Dabba-Do-Bop, which was finally shortened to "Shabba-Doo".
As a member of The Original Lockers along with Don "Campbellock" Campbell, there was also Campbellock Jr., Flukey Luke, Slim The Robot, Fred "Rerun" Berry (who they called Mr. Penguin) and Toni Basil. Shabba-Doo became one of the innovators of the dance style commonly known as "locking". In 1977, they did, however, break up over creative differences.
Like the TV series "American Soul", the story of Don Cornelius and Soul Train, many of the dancers were unhappy with Don Cornelius, because he wouldn't pay the stars of his show that made him so successful - his dancers. As stereotypical as it sounds, all they got in payment was a two piece chicken dinner and some bread. Although it was fun in the beginning, but when they asked to get paid, they all got kicked off of the show. Shabba-Doo did accomplish something special later on, though. He got to come back to the show as a soloist. No hit record; just on his dance ability alone.
After leaving a group, and trying to start over, Shabba-Doo found it to be pretty difficult. He pushed ahead. He grinded. He started really OWNING that style he created. He was approached by someone who told him that they were going to be shooting a music video for Lionel Richie, and they wanted to meet him. So he met with the director. That lead to him choreographing "All Night Long".
Shabba-Doo also appeared in Rave - Dancing to a Different Beat, which he also directed. He made guest appearances on TV shows, including The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, Married... with Children, Miami Vice, What's Happening!!, Saturday Night Live and Lawrence Leung's Choose Your Own Adventure. Shabba-Doo was writing A Breakin’ Uprising. He is, however, mostly known for Breakin' and Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo. Shabba-Doo involved everyone from that first professional project he did with Lionel Richie. As a matter of fact, you could say a few of them became a crew themselves, because they toured together all over the world. Michael "Boogaloo Shrimp" Chambers, Bruno "Pop N' Taco" Falcon, Timothy "Popin' Pete" Solomon, and Ana "Lollipop" Sanchez. It was a little weird to see them performing together after seeing them battle in Breakin', but, I guess you would eventually get use to it.
Besides acting and dancing work in film and television, Shabba-Doo has served as a choreographer to many singers, such as previously mentioned, Lionel Richie, Madonna, and Luther Vandross. He was a primary dancer and main choreographer for Madonna's Who's That Girl? Tour in 1987. He served as choreographer for Jamie Kennedy's MTV sitcom, Blowin' Up.
He choreographed Three Six Mafia's performance on the 78th Academy Awards; the group won the Oscar for best original song for their song "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp". He was featured in the music video for Chaka Khan's 1984 song "I Feel for You". The last thing I remember seeing him in was 2005's Breakin' vs Krumpin'. He and Todd Bridges made a bet. Bridges believed that Krumpers could beat b-boys in an all out battle, so he went and got dancers (like Tight Eyez), while Shabba-Doo went and grabbed dancers of his own.
“Ultimately people will realize it’s a valid art form, on the same level as jazz or ballet,” Quiñones told Newsweek in 1984 following the release of the low-budget hit “Breakin’,”. “And it’s a dance Americans should be proud of.” He was right. Because of his efforts, we will be seeing it in the Olympics soon.
In later years, Shabba-Doo called himself “The Ghost of Break-Dance Past” as he worked on various projects, including directing videos, teaching dance to inner-city kids and opening a martial arts studio. In 1994, he confessed in Variety to visiting clubs in Orange County to check out the latest dances.
“It’s like I wear hip-hop clothes but flannel underwear,” he said with a chuckle.
We lost Shabba-Doo December 29th, 2020. He was, and is an icon. He played his part and then some, to raise the bar on street dancing. He placed it on a stage no other dancer from his era could have even come close to managing to do. You MAY not be a fan of locking, but his locking opened the door for so many other dancers that inspire the young dancers of today. Give him his flowers, and put some respect on his name, and understand we lost a great. #hiphophistorymonth