Paula Abdul is a skilled dancer and cheerleader. When she was just in highschool, she was already a part of the cheerleading team of Van Nuys High School. After she graduated in 1980, she continued her studies as she took up broadcasting at the California State University, Northridge. She did not stop her cheerleading even with her busy college life. In her freshman year, she was selected to become one of the cheerleaders for the famed NBA Los Angeles Lakers’ cheerleading squad, Laker Girls. She really must have been one of the most skilled in her team since she became head choreographer in just a year!
In one of her performances, the famous group singer The Jacksons took notice of Abdul’s insane talent. Some of the group’s members saw her potential and recruited her to be their choreographer for the song “Torture” (1984). The choreography in the song’s success led Paula Abdul to becoming one of the most sought-after choreographers in the industry. She then went on creating choreographies for some of Janet Jackson’s music videos for “What Have You Done for Me Lately', 'Nasty' and 'Control'.
Basically, Paula Abdul’s fame and fortune right now all started because of her raw talent in cheerleading, dance, and choreography.