'Breakin' star and dance legend Adolfo Quiñones dies aged 65
Watch: Adolfo Quiñones dies aged 65
Dancer and actor Adolfo Quiñones — also known by the moniker Shabba Doo — has passed away at the age of 65.
Quiñones played street dancer Ozone in Breakin’ and its sequel Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo, which were both produced in 1984 by Cannon Films.
He was one of the early proponents of the dance style known as “locking”, which is associated with funk and hip-hop music.
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Toni Basil, who co-founded The Lockers with Quiñones in the 1970s, announced the star’s passing via Twitter on Wednesday.
Basil wrote: “It is with extreme sadness The Lockers family announces the unexpected passing of our beloved Adolfo Shabba-Doo Quiñones. In this difficult time we are requesting privacy.”
Tributes poured in for the star, with many noting their fondness for the Breakin’ movies and their respect for Quiñones as a dance pioneer.
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The actor’s Breakin’ co-star Ice-T led the tributes on social media, sharing a compilation video of his friend’s best moves.
Actor Rosie Perez, who is also a choreographer and famously danced over the opening credits of Do the Right Thing, was also among those to offer a tribute, hailing Quiñones as a “dance legend”.
I just lost ANOTHER close friend... SHABBA-DO. LA dance legend. You may know from the Breakin Movies.. Has passed away... FFUCK 2020 SHABBA-DOO MONTAGE https://t.co/x57MVFwV90
— ICE T (@FINALLEVEL) December 30, 2020
No!! #AdolfoQuinones aka #ShabbaDoo A dance #Legend lost! A true dance pioneer! I’m so saddened by this news and I’m so very sorry Toni for your loss, the #Lockers, his loved ones and especially his family! Stay safe. ❤️❤️❤️. #SoulTrain #ElectricBoogaloo #HipHop #LEGENDARY https://t.co/coNS07aT1R
— Rosie Perez (@rosieperezbklyn) December 30, 2020
I just heard I’ve lost another friend Shabba do. A great Hiphop dancer. We toured together w/ Lionel Richie 1983. Gosh, Rest In Peace my brother. @officialshabbadoo @Shabba_Doo pic.twitter.com/YntRWT1t55
— SheilaEdrummer (@SheilaEdrummer) December 30, 2020
Adolfo Quiñones, the breakdancer and actor in the two Breakin' movies of the 1980s, known as Shabba-Doo has died. He was 65.
He also worked with Frank Sinatra, Bette Midler, Madonna and Three 6 Mafia, and named "hip-hop's first matinee idol" by Dance Magazine. pic.twitter.com/PI7DJRhjsu— Eric Alper 🎧 (@ThatEricAlper) December 30, 2020
Away from the big screen, Quiñones also worked as a choreographer for several huge music artists including Madonna, Lionel Richie and Luther Vandross.
He also choreographed Three Six Mafia for the performance of their Oscar-winning song It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp at the Academy Awards in 2006.
As well as his work in the world of music, Quiñones also made guest appearances on TV shows like Saturday Night Live and Miami Vice.
His final screen credit was in the 2016 TV movie Option Zero.
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