One of the biggest action stars in the ’80s was Jean Claude Van Dam. Van Dam, whose real name is Jean-Claude Camille François van Varenberg, started practicing martial arts at the age of ten. He started weight lifting to improve his physique when he was 16 and later in life would go on to win the Mr. Belgium bodybuilding title. At that age, Van Dam had also started taking up ballet, which the teen would end up studying for five years. By 18, he had earned his black belt in karate and would go on to learn Taekwondo and Muay Thai later in life.
Van Dam moved to the US in 1982 to pursue an acting career. His first role as an extra in the hip hop dance movie “Breakin'” in 1984. Between gigs, Van Dam would work as a bouncer in a bar named Woody’s Wharf, which was owned by his good friend and fellow martial artist, Chuck Norris. Eventually, he would land his breakout role in the movie “Bloodsport” in 1988. And in 1989, he would play his most famous character in the film “Kickboxer,” a movie about a man who fights to avenge his brother, who had been paralyzed by a vicious Thai kickboxing champion named Tong Po. While the movie had plenty of kicks and punches, it also had a lighter scene in which Van Dam’s character was challenged by his kickboxing master while at a bar to go out on the dance floor and dance with two girls. During the scene, Van Damn shows off his years of dance training, putting together some pretty impressive moves, including a split. However, it seems that his character’s antics didn’t sit well with some local thugs who, of course, challenge him to a fight. In 2015, Van Dam appeared on Conan O’Brien and was kind enough to recreate this memorable scene.
Image via YouTube
At age 54, Van Dam showed that he still had quite a dance moves left in him as he danced at the delight of the crowd.
Image via YouTube
Conan even had a few “tough guys” interrupt him, but the actor made quick work of the thugs,, and Conan came over and joined Van Dam as they both shook their moneymakers for the crowd.
You can watch Jean Claude Van Dam rekindling the magic in the video below.
