Moonwalk

The moonwalk (aka the backslide) is a dance technique famously performed by "King of Pop" Michael Jackson during a performance of his song "Billie Jean" in 1983's *Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever*. It has since become one of Jackson's most famous dance moves. The dance is performed as follows, according to the Michael Jackson Wiki:

"The leg being pulled up moves the leg behind it back (with the toes still touching the ground) and transfers the weight on to it. The leg with weight on it goes up and the other leg is drawn back in turn. These steps are repeated over and over."

## History

### 1930s - 1950s

The earliest recorded use of the moonwalk was in 1932, by Cab Calloway in *The Big Broadcast*. In an interview with *The Crisis* in 1985, he said that it was called "The Buzz" back then. Tap dancer Bill Bailey also performed an early moonwalk in 1943's *Cabin In the Sky* and again in 1955 at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York. Actresses Judy Garland and Margaret O'Brien performed a similar dance in 1944's *Meet Me in St. Louis*, but it lacks the illusion of a dancer smoothly gliding backwards. French mime artist Marcel Marceau used the moonwalk in a sketch called *Walking Against the Wind*. Mexican actor Resortes performed a stationary version of the dance on top of a piano in 1959's *Escuela De Verano*.

### 1960s - 1980s

In a November 1969 episode of *H.R. Pufnstuf*, Judy the Frog teaches everyone a dance called "The Moonwalk." Part of the dance includes two examples of a stationary moonwalk. Choreographer Bob Fosse moonwalks during 1974's *The Little Prince*. In 1980, new wave band Talking Heads' music video for their song "Crosseyed and Painless" features a dancer performing the moonwalk. Singer Jeffrey Daniel performed the moonwalk on Top of the Pops in the UK in 1982, as well as in *Soul Train* performances. In 1983's *Flashdance*, Rock Steady Crew's Mr. Freeze performs a moonwalk with an umbrella in his hand.

#### Michael Jackson

Jeffrey Daniel eventually taught the moonwalk to Michael Jackson after he saw one of Daniel's *Soul Train* performances. In a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jackson also credited "black kids who live in the ghettos" as the inspiration for the moonwalk.

During the 1983 TV special *Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever*, Jackson performed his song "Billie Jean," and began moonwalking. Later that night, actor and dancer Fred Astaire called Jackson and congratulated him on his performance. American author Nelson George said that Jackson's performance of the moonwalk was a combination of "Jack Wilson's athleticism" and "James Brown's camel walk." The moonwalk later became Jackson's signature move when performing "Billie Jean."

### 1990s-2020s

In 1995's *Major Payne*, the titular character (Damon Wayans) performs the moonwalk to impress Emily Walburn (Karyn Parsons). He also performs a forwards moonwalk. During his career in the NHL, Alexei Kovalev used the dance to celebrate a goal. In 2009, R&B singer The-Dream and rapper Kanye West created a song inspired by Michael Jackson called "Walkin' On The Moon." While the music video does not feature the moonwalk, it is a nod to the famous dance move. In 2018, Alessia Cara performed the moonwalk in her song "Trust My Lonely." In 2019, the moonwalk was performed in David Guetta's music video for his song "Stay (Don't Go Away)." That same year, Chinese band WayV released a song titled "天选之城 (Moonwalk)." The titular dance is performed in the music video. South Korean boy band BTS performed the moonwalk in their song "Dynamite." This makes sense, as the song was created as a tribute to one of their biggest inspirations, Michael Jackson. His son, Prince Jackson, and his nephew, Taj Jackson, praised BTS for honoring the "King of Pop" in their songs "Dynamite" and "Butter."

## Variations

    Other forms of the moonwalk allow the dancer to "slide" forwards (pictured above), sideways, or in a circle.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Fandom. Michael Jackson Wiki. "Moonwalk." https://michael-jackson.fandom.com/wiki/Moonwalk
2. ↑ YouTube. kuwasemono. May 11, 2008. "Cab Calloway." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCOvG\_vGzRc
3. ↑ *The Buzz*. April 1985 issue. The Arts. Dance. DiLorenzo, Kris. "Michael Jackson did not invent the Moonwalk." pg. 143. "Shoot... We did that back in the 30's! Only it was called The Buzz back then."
4. ↑ YouTube. Cinema History. May 17, 2022. "First Moonwalk "Backslide" By Bill Bailey in "Cabin in the Sky (1943)"" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lH9w94aea2w
5. ↑ YouTube. SuperGold 70. December 12, 2010. "The First Moonwalk - Bill Bailey - The Apollo Theatre - New York - 1955." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y71njpDH3co
6. ↑ YouTube. iLoveJudyGarland. April 1, 2017. "Judy Garland and Margaret O'Brien - Under The Bamboo Tree (Meet Me In St. Louis, 1944)." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGqE291qBoA
7. ↑ CBC News. Entertainment. The Associated Press. September 23, 2007. "Grand master of mime, Marcel Marceau, dies." https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/grand-master-of-mime-marcel-marceau-dies-1.644639
8. ↑ YouTube. León Martínez. February 21, 2017. "Original Pasito de Michael Jackson por Resortes en Escuela De Verano 1959." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HahUh\_u4wjs
9. ↑ IMDb. H.R. Pufnstuf. "You Can't Have Your Cake." https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0894110/
10. ↑ YouTube. arQivisT. "H.R. Pufnstuf - "Moonwalk"." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLLLnRBYwhs
11. ↑ YouTube. TheICONTheMICKing. September 3, 2017. "The Little Prince (1974) - Bob Fosse Scene." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXonK8EBqmk Timestamp 6:17.
12. ↑ Genius. "Crosseyed and Painless." https://genius.com/Talking-heads-crosseyed-and-painless-lyrics
13. ↑ YouTube. Cheap Vinyl Records UK. August 5, 2011. "Talking Heads - Crosseyed and Painless - Official Original Video." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_Zrkf65GmwE Timestamp 3:02.
14. ↑ YouTube. DJCDOG. June 29, 2008. "ROCK STEADY CREW-FLASHDANCE." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RME\_Qqaju9w
15. ↑ Time Magazine. Michael Jackson 1958 - 2009. Remembering Michael. "Jeffrey Daniel." https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1907409\_1907413\_1907560,00.html
16. ↑ YouTube. mrkingofpopMJ18. January 31, 2011. "Michael Jackson Moonwalk Oprah." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAdLLxW\_CWA
17. ↑ Ashgate Publishing. 2006. Inglis, Ian. "Performance and Popular Music: History, Place and Time." pg. 122.
18. ↑ YouTube. Movieclips. April 6, 2020. "Major Payne (1995) - Cut a Little Rug Scene (7/10) | Movieclips." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB2p71-giQM
19. ↑ YouTube. The Dream. November 25, 2009. "The-Dream - Walkin' On The Moon (Official Music Video) ft. Kanye West." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqaTjzvMq18
20. ↑ YouTube. Alessia Cara. "Alessia Cara - Trust My Lonely (Official Video)." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF9YayOgjRg
21. ↑ YouTube. David Guetta. May 28, 2019. "David Guetta feat Raye - Stay (Don't Go Away) (Official Video)." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVWlOmBqd7s
22. ↑ YouTube. SMTOWN. October 29, 2019. "WayV 威神V '天选之城 (Moonwalk)' MV." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsaGgEjqNoE
23. ↑ YouTube. HYPE LABELS. August 20, 2020. "BTS (방탄소년단) 'Dynamite' Official MV." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdZLi9oWNZg
24. ↑ RepublicWorld.com. Patil, Rohan. August 21, 2020. "BTS' 'Dynamite' Pays Tribute To Michael Jackson, Earns Praise From Jackson's Nephew Taj." https://www.republicworld.com/entertainment-news/music/bts-dynamite-and-its-nod-to-michael-jackson-impresses-his-nephew.html
25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 International Business Times. Media & Culture. Manongdo, Jennifer. October 1, 2021. "Michael Jackson’s Son Praises BTS For Paying Tribute To His Father Through 'Butter,' 'Dynamite'." https://www.ibtimes.com/michael-jacksons-son-praises-bts-paying-tribute-his-father-through-butter-dynamite-3308045

## Footnotes

1. ↑ Specifically, the line "smooth like butter, like a criminal undercover." Prince Jackson considers this line to be a reference to his father's song "Smooth Criminal."

## Gallery

Michael Jackson performing the moonwalk in 1983.Damon Wayans performing a moonwalk.Damon Wayans performing a forwards moonwalk.Michael Jackson moonwalking in a 1990 arcade game titled "Michael Jackson's Moonwalker."