Synopsis

Live breakdancers move through a futuristic digital environment where their bodies are transformed and paired with colorful geometric figures. Real movement and computer-generated forms share the frame, creating a playful visual dialogue between human performers and early digital animation. The four-minute video turns the song's upbeat message into an energetic celebration of motion, technology, and expressive performance, with its bright abstract imagery reflecting the experimental spirit of early-1980s music television.

Factoids & Trivia

• Released in 1983, "Smile" was one of the early music videos to combine live-action dancers with digitally animated human forms.

• The video uses digital image processing to manipulate the movements of breakdancers from New York City's emerging breakdance scene. The performers are identified as Oz Rock and Suzie Q.

• Its computer-generated dancers were built from colorful geometric shapes and were described as being influenced by Bauhaus theater design.

• At approximately four minutes, the video was created for Island Records and received repeated exposure on MTV, VH1, and other music-video programs.

• "Smile" appeared on *Dancing for Mental Health*, the self-help-themed 1983 album created around photographer Lynn Goldsmith's Will Powers persona.

• The song brought together Goldsmith, Jacob Brackman, and Nile Rodgers, while the album also involved musicians including Sting, Steve Winwood, Todd Rundgren, Carly Simon, and Tom Bailey.

• The video's mixture of live dancers and synthetic bodies later became part of Will Powers' visual legacy in art-gallery and museum contexts.