Shabba-Doo, Godfather of Breakdancing, Dead at 65

Shabba-Doo aka Adolfo Quiñones, widely acknowledged as "the godfather of street dance," died suddenly Wednesday at 65 after battling an illness he had feared was COVID-19.

His death was solemnly confirmed on Instagram by choreographer and singer Toni Basil of "Mickey" fame, who was his longtime friend and a co-founder of the dance troupe the Lockers.

"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."

Quiñones' death was a shock, coming less than 24 hours after he posted a selfie reassuring his 45K Instagram followers he had "good news" for them.

Showing off a colorful gift from a friend, he wrote, "I’m feeling all better I’m just a wee bit sluggish from my cold, but the good news is I’m Covid 19 negative! Woo hoo!!!" People with COVID-19 tests commonly test negative, but no cause of death has been provided for Quiñones, who is smiling in the photo and looks like he was in good spirits and on the mend.

Of African-American and Puerto Rican descent, Quiñones was born May 11, 1955, in Chicago. He rose to prominence in the dance community and as a hip-hop figure through his eye-popping dance moves on "Soul Train" in the '70s and as a member of the Lockers.

The troupe consisted of Shabba-Doo, Don "Campbellock" Campbell, Fred "Rerun" Berry, and Basil. Only Basil survives; Campellock died in March of a heart attack.

Quiñones made numerous TV appearances, and his skills were immortalized when he played the character Ozone in the movies "Breakin'" (1984) and "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo" (1984), the latter one of the most famous sequel titles in movie history.

He went on to choreograph for such stars as Madonna — he was also a main dancer on her "Who's That Girl" tour in 1987 — Luther Vandross and Lionel Richie, and to choreograph the 2006 Oscars-telecast performance of the Oscar-winning song "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp."