The origins of Michael Jackson’s trademark “moonwalk” dance
Michael Jackson performing "Billie Jean" in 2001.
Now as people know, Michael Jackson is one of the most famous performers in the history of popular music and that he is also one of the best dancers ever. Well people know that in 1983, Jackson made history when he performed the “moonwalk” at Motown 25, well it has since been confirmed that Jackson learned the dance from a variation of dancers including Soul Train’s and Shalamar member Jeffrey Daniels, Michael “Boogaloo” Shrimp and Poppin’ Pete among other dancers who all originated from the Bay Area of California. The dance actually has roots in black culture going as far back as the 1930s before Michael polished it and made it his own. Here are just two videos to explain some of the origins from that legendary trademark dance that helped to make Michael Jackson the “king of pop”:
Now let me state not one man “invented” this dance, this dance was always a part of dance culture, of black culture and even in the form of mimes and other unsung dancing heroes. So just sit back and relax as one of the greatest dances gets analyzed. These videos and this post is a tribute to all the dancers and not an attack so please be gentle. LOL
January 12, 2009 at 10:05 am
Good to see your post. I have also written about the origins of the Moonwalk on my blog Am I Scary for you? Minstrelsy, Metamorphosis and Michael Jackson.
http://amiscaryforyou-michaeljackson.blogspot.com/2008/09/moonwalk-origins.html
Jackson is a master at blending and incorporating various styles and making them his own.
January 25, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Love the blog! Another great read!
Cheers, Giada
March 1, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Just passing by.Btw, your website have great content!
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Making Money $150 An Hour
June 26, 2009 at 1:10 pm
[...] the record, Michael Jackson did not invent the Moonwalk, it was pretty common knowledge at the time that he had learned if from watching Soul [...]
June 26, 2009 at 11:21 pm
Interesting post. Watching the older clips clarified for me the reason people were blown away by MJ’s moonwalk — his magician-like ability to make you watch the flat foot instead of the foot that pushes him backward. I’ve been watching videos of him moonwalking over and over again today (to learn how to do it myself, heh) and it is very difficult to look at his other leg. Really! Even when I concentrate very hard on trying to watch what he’s doing with the other foot, I can’t help myself, I look at the flat foot instead. Magicians do the same thing when they perform magic tricks — they perform the mechanics of the trick in plain sight while using psychological and perceptual tricks to direct your attention elsewhere. It’s amazing that Michael Jackson, a dancer and musician, not only figured out how to turn a sleight-of-hand technique into a mind-blowing dance move but also refined and executed it so brilliantly. He took a clever physical joke (“Ha ha, look, I’m sliding backwards”) and turned it into a true illusion (“WTF, he just went BACKWARDS!”) That is genius.
June 27, 2009 at 1:43 am
[...] don’t think Michael Jackson was particularly smart. He didn’t “invent” the Moonwalk. He stole the most memorable part of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin” from Manu [...]
June 27, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Great post. Although it is common knowledge that MJ did not invent the moowalk, he did indeed perfect it.
The way he moves his head while doing it is what seals the deal.
His long limbs add to the effect too.
Amazing dancer indeed.
June 27, 2009 at 8:33 pm
great read!!!! wow, all these years i thought he really invented it…believe me, THAT’S NO SLAM TO MICHAEL, BECAUSE I AM A FAN FOREVER. R.I.P. MJ…you will NEVER be forgotten…ever!
June 27, 2009 at 8:33 pm
magnifique
June 28, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Great documentary. Thank-you.
Can you tell me what performance Michael Jackson is in (when, what venue) at the end of the first video “History of the Moonwalk”, in gold costume?
June 28, 2009 at 9:57 pm
i saw james cagney do the ‘moon walk’ in a clip that may be 70 years old.
still looking for it. anybodyseen it?
June 29, 2009 at 2:02 am
nice! i’m gonna make my own journal
June 29, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Jeffrey Daniel is amazing! He and Bill Bailey were definitely moonwalking. I didn’t see the essential appearing-to-walk-forward-while-moving-backward in their predecessors. But that’s a lot of entertaining and impressive dance footage.
June 30, 2009 at 7:45 am
WoW…
Thanks for the early morning mind bender.
June 30, 2009 at 9:21 pm
jeffrey daniels and bill bailey did do the moonwalk before michael, but no nearly as good. michael made it look like he was moving backwards effortlessly, not evening dancing. MJ was definetely better at entertaining then these other people. MJ is the king of pop because he was a musical genuis and the best dancer to ever live:) R.I.P MJ- you are a legend
July 1, 2009 at 7:53 pm
wow!!!!!!!!amazingly nice…..RIP michael jackson
July 3, 2009 at 3:05 am
This was really interesting. I didn’t know the history. Thanks for posting. I grew up watching Michael Jackson on MTV and loved his music/performances/dancing. In later years, as he became more secluded and embroiled in controversy, I kind of forgot about all of his great performances. He became just this odd celebrity to me. But in tTe past few days I’ve just been watching his videos over and over. And I’m just sad. This is what I will remember about him. I really like the last dance clip have on here — where he’s in the gold suit. What is that from?
July 5, 2009 at 2:01 pm
James Cagney did the moonwalk in Yankee Doodle Dandy .
July 7, 2009 at 4:55 am
[...] Mine is not the first post to point out the debt Michael owed to talented dancers before him. Here’s just one. [...]
July 7, 2009 at 6:58 pm
mickael et le roi de la pop il restera a jamais dans notre coeur !!! on t’aime mickael !!!! (snif)
July 16, 2009 at 1:26 am
Rest In Peace R.I.P
July 18, 2009 at 8:02 pm
tuge peludo
July 18, 2009 at 9:36 pm
para sempre 4Ever Michael ….Brazil
July 18, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Morre um Homem fika uma LENDA
August 10, 2009 at 9:57 pm
rest peace micheal we love you
August 13, 2009 at 3:04 pm
I like michel jakson music is good and he can dans very good. if i lokke he to tv he dans. Í just said how he can dans son. main I just Michel jakson he had ben best to dans and syng, main he daed. I must see Michel jakson hevey time. I just said to people. we meste big stor in the word,
August 15, 2009 at 3:18 am
Years ago I went to the opening of the Seattle Art Museum, and watched a film made by an anthropologist in 1964. It was a tribal dance in Africa (I have forgotten which country), and I was amazed to see moonwalking. It was much closer to Michael Jackson’s version than any of the old film clips of I have seen of African-American dancers. The origins may go back centuries – not just decades.
August 20, 2009 at 5:09 pm
P Diddy had very precisely described the genius of Michael Jackson: “He showed that you can actually see the beat. He made the music come to life. He made me believe in magic.”
Check other notable tributes paid to Michael Jackson by peers:
http://www.tributespaid.com/category/m/michael-jackson
August 25, 2009 at 11:57 pm
RIP michael…
August 26, 2009 at 6:43 am
Who says that M.J is passed away, look carefully he is doing Moon Walking in Heaven.
Legends never die………so as Michael Jackson…..he is immortal in Billions of Hearts.
RIP Michael.
August 26, 2009 at 6:47 am
M.J has given a birth to legendary Music. He will always remain always remain alive in our heart thru his Music.
Rest In Peace Michael.
August 26, 2009 at 8:01 am
mihahel jeksonu çok hayranım
August 28, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Michael Jackson, é o meu papai de coração, no meu MSN só tem imagem dele é eu gosto muito dele e ele sempre estará no meu coração, !!!!
TE AMO E SEMPRE VOU TE AMAR MIKE,!
BJS:Annita Ingrid
October 21, 2009 at 12:20 am
R.I.P MICHEAL JACKSON!!!!!!
I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER AND EVER!!!!
WHY`D YOU HAVE TO LEAVE?
NO MATTER WHAT MICHEAL, U WILL ALWAYS BE THE KING OF POP!!!
DUDE YOUR THE BEST!!!!!!
November 12, 2009 at 2:21 am
THANKS FOR ALL MICHAEL,
YOU ARE THE BEST DANCER THAT I SEE IN MY LIFE,
KING OF POP
THE BEST