Music Videos featuring contortionists or acrobatic dancers

**Alphabetical order by title

Addams Family Groove - Hammer

male dancer with legs over shoulders walking in "spider position" (20 seconds)

Animal - Def Leppard

"...Def Leppard's music video "Animal" is set in a circus with various acrobats and freaks (here the band's drummer fits right in! He lost his left arm in a car accident, yet he plays as good as ever), and one contortionist in a few quick shots."

Been Caught Stealing - Jane's Addiction

(male dancer pulls leg into standing split [10 seconds])

Betcha By Golly Wow - The Artist (formerly known as Prince) {Dominique Dawes & others}

Dawes and other dancers in splits and varying degrees of backbends throughout song.

Blue Jean - David Bowie {David Bowie}

"...In David Bowie's "Blue Jean", near the end of the video, Bowie is dancing on a nightclub stage in one of his memorable costumes and makeups. He assumes a martial arts stance, hands on hips, and bends his elbows forward showing off shoulder flexibility."

Break My Heart - Shakespear's Sister

costumed female dancer in full backbend and splits

Cold Hearted Snake - Paula Abdul {Paula Abdul & others}

male & female dancers in splits

Come Into My House - Queen Latifah {Willi Ninja}

male dancer showing shoulder dislocation and with his leg behind his head (2 minutes)

Come On and Ride It(The Train) - Quad City DJ's {?}

male dancer in splits and with leg shouldering ("spider" position) (about 20 seconds)

Deep In Vogue - Malcolm McLaren

Diamonds & Pearls - Prince

"...Dancing couple on the stage, he (Prince) is lifting her (female dancer) legs to a perfect straddle split, then turns around."
[From Justus de Zeeuw - Justus.deZeeuw@rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de]

Down On The Street - Shakatak

"...Two women do variations of splits."
[From Justus de Zeeuw - Justus.deZeeuw@rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de]

Flava - Peter Andre

" There are a few brief clips of a good male frontbender in the video of Peter Andre's song Flava."

French Kiss - Rose Zone {Rose Zone}

*Pics on the net: [http://members.aol.com/kalaus/]

Girls - David Byrne

Glass Spider - David Bowie

"...The video of David Bowie's concert, Glass Spider, has some flashy costumes and choreography, and one nice, bendy female dancer."

Heart Of Mine - Boz Skaggs

female dancer in rolling backbend (total about 45 seconds)

Here I Go Again - Whitesnake {Tawny Kitaen}

"...In Whitesnake's video "Here I Go Again", a quite limber Tawny Kitaen dances on the hoods of two cars, does lots of splits and a few other bends."

Hey Sports Fans - The Tubes

"...In the Tubes' video "Hey Sports Fans", there is some limber cheerleader dancing and slapstick comedy. Fee Waybill, wearing only a towel, wanders into a girl's locker room with two cheerleaders. When he drops the towel, one of the girls gives a quick, exaggerated look of shock--and falls back on a bench and throws both her legs way past her head and shoulders. (Possibly April Tatro again, very likely someone Toni Basil or someone else.)"

I Hate My Generation - Cracker

female dancer with legs behind head (total 15 seconds)

"...Cracker's music video "I Hate My Generation" is set in a circus sideshow tent, filmed in artsy black & white, and all the performers are old people over 70! Some are balancing acrobats, and one slim woman does a surprising leg stretch and then folds up into a very good human knot. A fine tribute to ageless human ability."

I Just Wanna Be Close To You - Maxi Priest

"...long-legged woman slowly going into a real straddle-split, knees forward, pelvis upright"

I Touch Myself - Divinyls

female dancer in forward bend with head through legs (15 seconds)

"...In the music video I Touch Myself, look carefully for a girl in the background standing in a front overbend with her shoulders past her knees. She can be mistaken for a mannequin, until you see her move her head."

Imagination - Tamia

male dancer in "spider position" crab walking (15 seconds)

This video was done in a Gothic style similar to the surreal video "Perfect Drug" by Nine Inch Nails. The video was directed by Paul Hunter. Tamia first came into view on the Quincy Jones album "Q's Jook Joint."

It Pays to Belong - The Blow Monkeys

I Want To Break Free - Queen {?}

"...dancer walks around, holding hand with two women who are doing splits while gliding over the floor. Closeup of a girl doing a standing split while beeing spinned around by a dancer."

Jack Talking - Dave Stewart {?}

Jump For Joy - 2 Unlimited {?}

several dancers in split leaps; one dancer in a suspended oversplit

Kiss - Prince {Kathy "Cat" Glover}

Bikini & pantyhose-clad dancer in a bouncing split (about 10 seconds)

The Last Worthless Evening - Don Henley {April Tatro}

performs on a stage in a bar in a glittered costume, in various moves: splits, leg-behind-the-head, and others (total: about 60 seconds)

Let The Beat Hit 'Em - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam {?}

elbow-supported backbend with head through the legs (5 seconds)

Let's Do It - Quad City DJ's {?}

several dancers in cut splits

Mickey - Toni Basil

"...In Toni Basil's video "Mickey", Toni and her dancers, in cheerleader costume, did some acrobatic dancing, and Toni's kicks and splits are highlights."

Mr. Krinkle - Primus

"A music video from the grunge/funk/alternative band Primus, "Mr. Krinkle", shows a circus-like setting, although a bit surreal (kinda like the song, but it grooves!), with a female contortionist doing a couple of backbends and right-front splits. Toward the end of the video she rejoins the cast in a parade doing very slow high kicks."
[From Michael Byars - emmbee@uit.net]

My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It) - En Vogue

male dancer with high kicks and sliding into a side split (30 seconds)

Naked - Falco

"Girl doing a standing split, pulling her foot over her head while lying on the floor, doing a near-straddle-split (side-view)."
[From Justus de Zeeuw - Justus.deZeeuw@rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de]

Physical - Olivia Newton-John

"...In Olivia Newton-John's video "Let's Get Physical", Olivia herself does a brief, mild frontbend and looks at you through her legs. When this song was featured on Solid Gold, the Solid Gold Dancers really got physical and did some of their most limber dancing."

Pumps In A Bump - Hammer

female dancers in side, bouncing and "pancake" splits (about 30 seconds)

Remember The Time - Michael Jackson

male & female dancers in splits and (at least implied) leg behind head moves

Rhythm Nation - Janet Jackson

male & female dancers high kicks and splits (about 30 seconds)

Rosana - Toto {Cynthia Rhodes}

Scream - Michael & Janet Jackson {Janet Jackson}

"...The music video "Shout" (or is it "Scream"?) has Michael AND Janet Jackson in a spaceship (filmed futuristically in black & white), singing, dancing and miming, and Janet shows a few quick limber kicks and bends."

She Ain't Worth It/Nothing But Trouble - Bobby Brown/Glen Mediros

" features dancers including one in a front split suspended by her feet (like a circus performer)"

She Was Hot - Rolling Stones {?}

(Does ANYONE know where this clip is from?) female dancer with leg behind her head

The Rolling Stones' controversial video "She was Hot" has a sexy girl driving lots of men crazy, and doing one leg-over-head bend. (WE'VE FINALLY IDENTIFIED THIS ONE!!!)

Sleepy Maggie - Ashley MacIsaac

the recent video by Ashley MacIsaac ... has a contortionist in it.

Soul to Squeeze - Red Hot Chili Peppers/"Coneheads" Soundtrack

male performer with legs behind his head reading a book (10 sec.)

Superconductor - Rush

"...a woman putting her legs behind her head in `Superconductor' by Rush"

Sweet Dreams - La Bouche

male dancer with legs over his shoulders in "spider" position

Think (About It) - Patra w/Lyn Collins

female dancers in splits and legs behind heads (about 45 seconds)

Up From The Skies - Rickie Lee Jones {April Tatro}

Vogue - Madonna

male dancers with inverted splits/oversplits & shoulder dislocations (20 seconds MAX)

 The Way it's Goin' Down (TWISM For Life) - Shaquille O'Neal

Male dancer in spider position & with legs behind head.

Welcome To The Pleasuredome - Frankie Goes To Hollywood

female dancer in Marinelli bend on platform (about 10 seconds)

When We Were Fab - George Harrison

"...In George Harrison's video "When We Were Fab", at the end of the video, Harrison crosses his legs into a lotus without using his hands."

 Who Do You Think You Are - Spice Girls

Dancer in side split on lighted stage.

You Don't Wanna Miss - For Real

male dancer with both legs behind head while lying on his back, forward bend through legs, and splits (45-60 seconds total)

You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC

The end of AC/DC's video for 'You Shook Me All Night Long' features a blonde who pulls her leg straight up and behind her head...straight leg, even.
[From umma@twics.com]

You're So Vain - Faster Pussycat

(*NOT* the Carly Simon version;) - female dancer in full backbends and splits

**Unidentified Les Rita Mizuko Cut - Les Rita Mizuko

"Girl walking in a bridge-position, several splits."
[From Justus de Zeeuw - Justus.deZeeuw@rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de]

**Unidentified Stacy Q Cuts - Stacy Q

"...The dance music star Stacey Q had flexible female dancers in her shows and music videos, and she's a nice dancer herself. Look for a best-of video collection on tape."

**Unidentified Wet, Wet, Wet Cut - Wet, Wet, Wet

"...In projection on the top of a mountain a contortionist does backbends and split-jumps."
[From Justus de Zeeuw - Justus.deZeeuw@rz.ruhr-uni-bochum.de]