Paula Abdul

Paula Abdul grew up in the San Fernando Valley, California. She began taking dance lessons at the age of eight. She attended Van Nuys High School, in which she was a senior class president and head cheerleader. She graduated from high school in the year 1980. Following graduation, she began college at Cal State Northridge. There, she majored in radio and TV. After joining the L.A. Lakers cheerleaders, she became head cheerleader/choreographer after only a few months, eventually dropping out of college to dance and choreograph full-time. The Jacksons recruited her to choreograph the 1984 "Torture" the first of a series of videos and movies she choreographed. Her first album "Forever Your Girl" Her singing career took off. However, the single "Straight Up" was a big hit and she's been a wildly successful performer/singer ever after. This was helped by her stint on American Idol (2002-2004). Her father (Harry Abdul), is Sephardic Jewish and hails from Syria. Her mother, who was also Jewish was born in Canada. Her parents were born in Canada, Brazil, Syria and Brazil. This diversity of backgrounds have resulted in different stories in the media about her nationality or religion. Daughter of Harry Abdul (once a livestock trader in Brazil) and Lorainne Abdul (former assistant to film director Billy Wilder), grew in Hollywood, California. She has been dancing and singing since she was 7 years old. of age, on an excursion in America. She also attended tap dancing classes and was awarded the opportunity to attend a tap dancing school. Later on in her life, she went to Cal State Northridge College where she earned a degree as an Broadcast Radio Specialist. At the time she auditioned for Los Angeles Lakers NBA Cheerleading team. That led to her getting a spot as a cheerleader on the team. The team earned fifty dollars per game during her freshman year.