With the spotlight always on musicians who sing or pop stars and bands that can sing and dance, those in the background are often underappreciated and not recognized. But that has been changing of late. Thanks to shows like Dancing With The Stars, World of Dance, and So You Think You Can Dance, a spotlight is being shed on people who have dedicated their lives to the art of dance, even if that means falling back to let the star of the show shine.
Professional dancers span every genre, from hip hop to ballet, and have each made names for themselves because of their amazing footwork, incredible rhythm, and dedication to their craft. So, who are these famous dancers? Here's a look at professional dancers who are still with us, and actively dancing today, beyond the cast of Dancing With The Stars.
10 Derek Hough
True, Derek Hough did get famous because he was on Dancing With The Stars. But he isn't anymore, and since he has still managed to stay in the spotlight years after leaving, he's worth including on this list. Hough was part of the cast from 2007-2016, dancing with a variety of celebrity guests and winning six times.
He has since appeared in the West End premiere of Footloose: The Musical and in a recurring role on the TV series Nashville. He currently serves as a judge on the reality dancing competition World of Dance and has since returned to be a judge on DWTS.
9 Julianne Hough
Derek Hough's sister, also a former cast member of Dancing With the Stars, Julianne Hough made a name for herself beyond the show. She moved from professional dance partner to judge after several seasons, then left altogether. She went on to pursue music and acting career, releasing her own album and appearing in the 2010 film Burlesque and securing leading roles in Footloose, Rock of Ages, and Safe Haven.
She also played Sandy in the TV version of Grease that aired live on Fox in 2016. Her most recent job was as a judge on America's Got Talent for the 2019 season.
8 Jenna Dewan
While Dewan was mostly in the spotlight due to her former marriage to actor Channing Tatum, she was a respected and sought-after back-up dancer long before her romantic relationship with him. In fact, she worked with massive stars like Janet Jackson, P!nk, Missy Elliott, and Christina Aguilera.
She went on to pursue acting, starring in the 2006 film Step Up about, of course, dancers, as well as in the NBC series The Playboy Club, American Horror Story: Asylum, and as Lucy Lane in Supergirl. She also tried her hand at hosting different dancing-related reality shows, including World of Dance and Flirty Dancing.
7 Jennifer Lopez
Of course, she's a bonafide superstar performer, musician, and actor. But J.Lo, as she's known, got her start as a professional dancer. Her first huge gig was as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy series In Living Color, which aired from 1990 to 1994.
In 1993, she decided to pursue acting and her breakout role was in the biopic Selena, where she played the title role and became recognized as a talented actor and singer, too.
6 Wade Robson
He first gained public recognition as a guest judge and choreographer on the dance competition series So You Think You Can Dance, but he was famous in the professional dance community long before that, working with massive artists like NSYNC and Britney Spears as a choreographer, dancer, and director for their tours and music videos.
He also hosted and executive produced his own TV series, The Wade Robson Project. Of late, however, he has become best known for his sexual assault allegations against the late pop icon Michael Jackson, with disturbing details revealed in the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland.
5 Paula Abdul
Those of the new generation know her as a judge on American Idol. But anyone who grew up in the '80s and '90s know Abdul for her singing career and amazing dance skills in performances and music videos.
That's because Abdul is a trained, professional dancer and choreographer who actually got her start as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers. She got the biggest break of her career when she was discovered by The Jacksons. She then began choreographing music videos for Janet Jackson before becoming a pop star in her own right. She has since appeared as a judge on various dance competition series.
4 Channing Tatum
Tatum has been open about his history as a stripper in a nightclub, even making a movie about it called Magic Mike that became such a huge box office success, and spawned a sequel and live show in Las Vegas.
While he isn't a trained dancer, Tatum showed off his moves in both the films as well as other dance-centric movies like Step Up, which was actually his breakthrough role.
3 Kevin Federline
He's famous more for his two-year marriage to Britney Spears, their children, and their bitter custody battle. But Federline is also a trained and talented backup dancer who actually met Spears while working for her on tour.
While he then pivoted to trying to pursue a music career as a rapper, and also dabbled in Djing, acting, modeling, and even professional wrestling, Federline is a dancer at heart. He also took a stab at reality TV, appearing on Celebrity Fit Club to try and get his body back into shape.
2 Mikhail Baryshnikov
Whether you like ballet or not, everyone knows Barysynikov's name as he's one of the most prolific dancers and choreographers of the genre in this generation. Through the '70s and '80s, he was the male ballet dancer of note in the industry.
He went on to work as a dance director and even pursued an acting career, earning an Academy Award nomination for his role in the movie The Turning Point. But Baryshnikov's most notable role for the younger generation: as Carrie's love interest in the final season of Sex and the City.
1 Misty Copeland
Her story inspiring, her dancing mesmerizing, and her dedication to the craft intense. For all of these reasons, Copeland has put ballet on the map for the mainstream. Currently working with the American Ballet Theatre (ABT), she has the distinction of also being the first Black woman to be promoted to principal dancer in the organization's 75-year history.
She is a ballet dancer with a huge mainstream following thanks to her public speaking, celebrity spokesperson status, and as a stage performer. Time magazine even named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world back in 2015.