Michael Jackson Dancing

Michael Jackson dancing has become immortalized as part of pop culture history, especially with his 2009 passing. Although many of his dance moves seem elaborate and only achievable by someone with years of dance training, many are actually much simpler than they seem. Whether you love to dance and are looking to learn some new moves, or you just love to admire and learn about excellent choreography, Michael Jackson is a great example of American dance.

Quite possibly the most memorable dance Michael Jackson ever performed was when he fully executed the moonwalk on national television. The dance uses a backslide technique, creating an illusion that thrilled audiences then and continues to do so today. Jackson first performed it during his famous song “Billie Jean” on the show Motown 25: Yesterday, Today and Forever.

When this took place in 1983, the crowd was astonished and hundreds of thousands of imitators attempted the signature move. A small portion of the population can effectively perform it, and yet no one has ever captured the essence of it quite like Jackson. One critic even credited Jackson as encompassing a wide history of African-American dance steps into that one single dance routine, causing him to go down in dance history.

If you yourself would like to learn the moonwalk, there are websites that have directions that will help you to learn how. All Michael Jackson has a page dedicated to breaking down the moonwalk and enabling you to dance like a pro. For a much more refined version, you can visit the article in Time Magazine. Finally, there are video tutorials that will give you more of a visual when you are trying to learn.

Outside of Jackson’s many dance moves, he has also been noted as a performer with boundless charisma and energy. In the 2009 film “This is It”, Jackson’s energy is prevalent. The movie, based upon footage for his upcoming London concert set that was cut short by his untimely death, shows a man in his 50s dancing as if he were still in his 20s. Fancy footwork and high impact dance steps are showcased, and there is not a single hint of fatigue or fumble to be seen.

Finally, Michael Jackson’s most famous music video – Thriller – has resulted in a cult classic dance that has been passed down as a never-ending fad to future generations. Most recently, Thrill the World hit a record number of over 22,000 dancers in multiple countries simultaneously executing the dance steps to Thriller, simulating the famous choreography. It is just one example of huge dance offs, flash mobs and spontaneous crowds paying homage to the great influence of Michael Jackson dancing.

Jackson’s charisma and ability to do what no one else has ever done is surely what has continued to make him popular through the years. With his passing, his music sales have spiked and his dancing is once again making headlines. As the trends continue to go in and out of style, Michael Jackson's dances will always remain – perhaps not as the most popular of dance moves – but always as one of the most familiar and recognizable. He will continue to live on through countless dancers from this generation and beyond.

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