May 16
Born Today:
Janet Jackson
Singer/dancer Janet Jackson (1966-), Ms. Jackson if you’re nasty, was born into a family of famous performers, including siblings Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, LaToya, Marlon, Randy, and of course, Michael. Janet began performing in her family’s variety show in 1976 and went on to appear in several other TV shows including Good Times, Diff’rent Strokes, and Fame. In 1986, her album entitled Control was a smash hit, due in no small part to the iconic dancing in several of her music videos, choreographed by a then-unknown Paula Abdul (1962-). In 1989 Jackson released Rhythm Nation 1814 and the video from the title track features what is thought to be the first filmed example of the Running Man dance.
Also Born Today: Ballet dancer Nicolas Beriosoff (1906-1996), father of famed ballerina Svetlana Beriosova (1932-1998). He performed with the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo and became the repetiteur (coach and living memory of a piece of choreography) for Michel Fokine (1880-1942). Best known for her role as Batgirl in the 1960s TV series, ballerina Yvonne Craig (1937-2015) danced with the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo in the 1950s and later in life appeared in the Ballet Russe (2005) documentary.