Adolfo Quiñones, aka Shabba-Doo, 'Breakin'' Star, Dead at 65

shabba-doo breakin
MGM/UA Entertainment Company

The dance community mourned the loss of the locking legend on Wednesday.

The dance community is mourning the death of Breakin' star Adolfo Quiñones, aka Shabba-Doo.

Toni Basil, who co-founded The Lockers group that helped popularize street dance in the 1970s, shared the news of Quiñones' death on social media on Wednesday. A native of Chicago, Quiñones was an innovator of the dance style that became known as "locking," and played Ozone in the hit breakdancing films Breakin' and Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo, which both came out in 1984.

"It is with extreme sadness The Lockers family announces the unexpected passing of our beloved Adolfo Shabba-Doo Quiñones," Basil wrote. "In this difficult time we are requesting privacy."

In addition to film and television roles, Quiñones also served as a choreographer to popular artists like Lionel Richie, Madonna, and Luther Vandross, and was a primary dancer and main choreographer for Madonna's Who's That Girl? Tour in 1987.

Sheila E and Ice-T also mourned Quiñones' death on Twitter, with Sheila writing, "I just heard I’ve lost another friend Shabba doo. A great Hiphop dancer. We toured together w/ Lionel Richie 1983. Gosh, Rest In Peace my brother. @officialshabbadoo @Shabba_Doo."

Ice-T shared a video compilation of Quiñones dancing, tweeting, "I just lost ANOTHER close friend... SHABBA-DO. LA dance legend. You may know from the Breakin Movies.. Has passed away... FF**K 2020 SHABBA-DOO MONTAGE."

See more tributes from Quiñones' famous friends and fans below:

 

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