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Twitter Checks In On Tanisha Scott, The Hypnotic Dancer From Sean Paul’s 2003 ‘I’m Still In Love With You’ Video

By
stillinlove

One of the standouts from Sean Paul‘s 2003 music video for I’m Still In Love With You were the silky smooth moves from dancer-choreographer Tanisha Scott, who rocked a pinstripe, ‘batty rider’ shorts and double-layered crop top with a white vintage newsboy cap.

This week, Twitter user @BigEsqBae reminded fans of Scott’s unforgettable appearance in the classic music production with a screenshot from the video and the caption: “I hope she’s doing well.”

Scott, who was born in Toronto, Canada to Jamaican parents, had said her movements in I’m Still In Love With You were totally natural.

“X (the director) told me I had to get to the guy, to somehow make my way to him, so I figured I would just back up slowly. It was totally intentional but also kind of natural,” she had told The Fader.

“It’s just how I move, how people from the culture move. I wanted to show that it was a specific kind of dance — it’s not hip-hop, it’s not Hawaiian, it’s not belly dancing. At its core, it centers around the hips, but it follows the music, so it’s controlled, purposeful movement. Not everyone can do it, but if you’re from the Caribbean or if you’re from Africa, it might come naturally to you.”

I’m Still In Love With You, which had featured Sasha, was an interpolation of a 1967 song of the same name by Alton Ellis.  It peaked at No. 14 on the US Hot 100 and No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart.

Sean Paul’s Gimme The Light, in early 2002, was one of Scott’s first credits for choreography.  She continued to work as Paul’s choreographer and creative director for tours and videos such as Like Glue, We Be Burnin’, Watch Dem Roll, and How Deep Is Your Love.

She has since built a thriving career, not only orchestrating dance in the performance movement but also venturing into the world of film and television, working with esteemed directors such as Spike Jonze, Jodie Foster, Noam Murro, Lance Acord, F Gary Gray, and Jason Moore. 

The three-time MTV VMA-nominated choreographer has worked with the likes of Cardi B, Rihanna, Drake, Ne-Yo, Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, and more. Her credits as a featured dancer include Rihanna’s Work, Drake’s Hotline Bling, Sean Paul and Kelly Rowland’s How Deep Is Your Love, Ciara’s Ride, Richie Spice’s Brown Skin, and Brick N Lace’s Love Is Wicked.

She’s currently the Creative Director & Choreographer for Lizzo and stars in the Prime Video series ‘Lizzo’s Watch Out For The Big Grrrls,’ which follows the Truth Hurts singer on the hunt for confident, talented dancers to join her on world stages.

During a 2007 interview with the Jamaica Gleaner, Scott recalled the moment that inspired her to never stop dancing.  According to her, on a visit to Jamaica, Dancehall’s most famous dancer Bogle came up to her and praised her work.

“He told me how I had helped bring Dancehall to the forefront, how proud he was of me. That’s the greatest thing, no matter what I’m gonna keep opening doors for Jamaican dancers. I want to see a dancehall movement, make a mark. Where you have jazz and tap as dance forms that are studied, I want to bring dancehall to that level, where it is respected and taught, its a culture. Its not about Tanisha but about Jamaica and dancehall,” Scott had said.

One person responded to the Tweet to say she dressed as Scott for Halloween last year, and even made a TikTok video re-enacting her moves in Paul’s video.

https://twitter.com/canyourel8now/status/1584826320072372225?s=20&t=R1TYQZTiftaar9j-_Lzp5Q

Another person commented, “I hope she sees this thread. For some of us, this video was as much about her as it was Sean Paul.”