Entertainment

Rihanna's Former Backup Dancer Is Missing

by Caitlyn Callegari

Social media can be used for a variety of superfluous purposes, but we'd all be remiss to acknowledge that it doesn't also help do a great deal of good. Case in point, in especially unfortunate news, it appears that Rihanna's former backup dancer, Shirlene Quigley is missing. And, the singer used Instagram in an effort to help find the dancer. Rihanna's post is a touching and insightful video of Quigley giving an inspirational talk about being kind to one another, and thinking of your fellow person as family.

Update: According to NBC 4 New York, Quigley has been found. As NBC 4 notes, the North Bergen Police Department posted on Instagram that she was found with help from the NYPD. The police department's Instagram caption also says, "She is safe and at a medical facility which location is undisclosed at this time [sic]."

The clearly emotional singer wrote in the caption of the video:

This beautiful soul, and former dancer of mine is MISSING!!! My heart aches thinking of how heavy this is on all who love her! If anyone has seen or has any information on @shirlenequigley's whereabouts ..... PLEASE CONTACT the North Bergen Police Department 201 392 2100!!!!

E! points out that Quigley was not just a dancer for Rihanna, but also for megastars Beyoncé, Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige, Jamie Foxx, and Ashanti.

Per NBC New York, her Facebook page relays that the dancer was, "last seen getting on a bus at Port Authority around 1 a.m" on Sunday. The site also explains that police found the missing woman's phone at a bridal store in Chelsea. In perhaps more concerning news, according to Quigley's landlord she didn't "seem well" when he saw her on the Saturday before her disappearance. In addition to that possibly pertinent detail, the dancer's father explained that she made a "strange comment" to a friend, summarizing the sentiment as, "Get ready, it's about to happen and I'm going to need you to sub for me."

Though, it's worth noting that Quigley's dad detailed a conflicting report of the dancer's behavior to that of her landlord's. NBC News states that he referred to her recent demeanor as "euphoric." In a heartbreaking declaration, the man told NBC, "I just want her to come home, or if someone has her to let her be. She's everything to me. She's why I live." Hopefully, thanks to Rihanna's post and posts like, as the site points out, the one Missy Elliot also dedicated to the dancer, more information will become available soon.