Harry Shum Jr.’s upcoming Dancing With the Stars routine has a connection to his past that even longtime fans may have completely missed.
The Glee alum and his professional partner Jenna Johnson are preparing to perform a tango to Mariah Carey’s “It’s Like That” during DWTS’ upcoming Mariah Carey Night on October 6. But for Harry, the song is much more than another track chosen for the ballroom.
More than two decades ago, Harry actually appeared in the official music video for the very same song.
During an interview with E! News’ The Rundown, host Erin Lim Rhodes asked Harry whether he was the dancer with braids seen briefly in Carey’s 2005 “It’s Like That” video.
Harry confirmed it, joking, “Embarrassingly, that is me.”
The appearance is extremely brief, which explains why many fans never noticed him. Harry appeared as one of the backup dancers in the video, wearing cornrows and an all-white outfit.
Harry even admitted that his own family struggled to spot him when the music video originally aired.
He recalled that viewers couldn’t simply rewind television the way people can replay videos today, meaning his parents sometimes had to wait for the music video to air again just for another chance to catch his quick appearance.
The connection goes back to Harry’s early career as a professional dancer, years before many viewers came to know him as Mike Chang on Glee or through his later acting roles.
Harry explained that legendary choreographer Debbie Allen helped create the opportunity. He had been working with Allen at the time, which eventually led to him dancing in Carey’s music video.
“When you do those music videos, you’re dancing in the back,” Harry explained while reflecting on that period of his career, adding that he mostly remembered watching the superstar performances from a distance.
The timing of the revelation makes his next Dancing With the Stars routine especially fitting.
ABC has officially confirmed that Harry and Jenna will dance a tango to “It’s Like That,” featuring Jermaine Dupri and Fatman Scoop, as part of the October 6 Mariah Carey-themed episode.
That means Harry will now perform competitively to the same song he once danced behind Mariah Carey to when he was still building his career.
The full-circle moment comes as Harry has been gaining momentum in the ballroom.
During Yacht Rock Night, Harry and Jenna performed a jive to Hall & Oates’ “You Make My Dreams,” earning 24 out of 30 and tying for one of the strongest scores of the evening.
His professional dance background has naturally become part of the conversation surrounding his time on the show, but Harry has been open about his history rather than trying to distance himself from it.
And the Mariah Carey connection might be one of the most unexpected pieces of that history yet.
In 2005, viewers could easily have watched the “It’s Like That” music video without recognizing the young backup dancer appearing for only a moment.
On October 6, that same dancer will be standing in the center of the Dancing With the Stars ballroom, performing a tango to the very song that helped form one small part of his career more than 20 years earlier.
