Biography
Adolfo “Shabba-Doo Quiñones
Adolfo “Shabba-Doo” Quiñones is an award-winning Choreographer/Director who has amassed
an impressive 30 plus years of experience in the entertainment industry. Shabba-Doo has
worked extensively in creative and executive production capacities for highly successful feature
films, television shows, major concert tours, and Broadway musical theater productions.
In the early 1970’s, Shabba-Doo, danced his way into a lucrative professional career, making his
initial mark as a founding member of the legendary street-dance troupe, The Lockers, forefathers
of contemporary urban dance (Hip-Hop). After several successful years with the fabled troupe,
Shabba-Doo embarked on a stand-out solo career, starring in and choreographing a string of
high-profile internationally televised specials and feature films, including: Breakin’
(Cannon/MGM); Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo (Cannon/Tri-Star Pictures); Lambada…Set The
Night On Fire (Warner Bros.); and The Big Show (NBC).
The success of his trend-setting, box-office smashes impelled the authoritative Dance Magazine
to dub Shabba-Doo “Hip-Hop’s first matinee idol.” This distinguished recognition of his visionary
dance talents, led to collaborative working relationships with a wide-range of superstars such as
Madonna, Bette Midler, Michael Jackson, Lionel Ritchie, Bill Cosby and even ole blue eyes
himself, Frank Sinatra!
Shabba-Doo’s collaboration with award winning stage director Ron Link on Stand Up Tragedy,
the celebrated musical presented by the Mark Taper Forum, led the Los Angeles Theater Critics
Association to bestow on him the prestigious Drama Critics Circle Award. To broaden his artistic
scope, he attended the world-renowned American Film Institute as a Directing Fellow. Upon his
subsequent graduation, he secured the financing, co-wrote, choreographed, and made his
directorial debut with the independent feature film Rave…Dancing to a Different Beat, distributed
by New Line Cinema.
Shabba-Doo formed and heads Cognitive Media LLC, a California based corporation that
integrates new media technologies and practices with traditional filmmaking methods to efficiently
produce visually stimulating entertainment and marketing packages that will enlighten a global
audience. In addition to inter-media production activities, Cognitive Media offers specialized
theater art workshops, and related seminars. Shabba-Doo has recently conducted master
classes and performed in Poland, in Russia for HHI-Russia, in Rome, London and Wales and will
be conducting master classes in Sweden, Rome and the UK again this fall. Additionally, a Street
Dance Instructor Certification Program is offered to qualified dancers. This 12 week master
program certifies teachers in Lockin’ 5.0 and Waackin’.
The ever-evolving Shabba-Doo has set his sights on new horizons. He has several projects
currently in development including a reality-dance competition television series and “Planet
Dance,” a reality series focused on global dance. Shabba-Doo’s recent choreography projects
include the Yari Film Group production "Kickin' It Old Skool," starring Jamie Kennedy, now on
DVD, and a music video for rising star J McCoy. Shabba-Doo is currently writing his memoirs,
Soul Dancer, which will look at the history of Hip Hop through the lens of his career.
Shabba-Doo accepts the tough challenge of multiple production roles to ensure the flow, vision,
and quality his fans the world over has come to expect.
Shabba-Doo…Hip Hop’s First Matinee Idol”
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