What Is the Michael Jackson Moonwalk?
The moonwalk, also called the backslide, is a popping dance move in which the performer glides backward while the body suggests forward motion. Michael Jackson popularized the move when he performed it to “Billie Jean” on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, broadcast in 1983.
Backslide-style moves appeared in earlier performances. Examples include Bill Bailey’s recorded 1955 routine and Jeffrey Daniel’s Top of the Pops performance with Shalamar.
When Did Michael Jackson First Perform the Moonwalk?
Michael Jackson first performed the moonwalk on March 25, 1983, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium during the taping of Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever. He was 24 years old. He performed the move during “Billie Jean,” his number one hit at the time. The special was broadcast on May 16, 1983. He later added the move to tours and live performances.
Who Invented the Moonwalk Before Michael Jackson?
No single inventor of the moonwalk exists, because performers used similar moves decades before 1983. The earlier appearances of the backslide are listed below in chronological order:
- 1930s: Cab Calloway, Fred Astaire, and Sammy Davis Jr. performed moves similar to the moonwalk.
- 1955: Bill Bailey performed a recorded backslide.
- Before 1983: James Brown and Soul Train dancers performed backslide variations.
- Before 1983: Jeffrey Daniel performed a backslide on Top of the Pops with Shalamar.
Choreographer Bob Fosse is often credited as an influence on Jackson’s signature style.
Who Taught Michael Jackson the Moonwalk?
Accounts most often credit Jeffrey Daniel of Shalamar, while other accounts credit dancer Geron “Caszper” Canidate. Daniel states that he learned the moves from the Electric Boogaloos street dance crew, and La Toya Jackson states that Daniel instructed her brother. Canidate claims he spent one week privately instructing Jackson, after Jackson contacted Soul Train employee Cheryl Song to arrange the meeting while Daniel toured with Shalamar. Daniel states that the term “moonwalk” originally named a similar dance.
Who Was Michael Jackson?
Michael Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana. He died on June 25, 2009, in Los Angeles, California, at age 50. The table below lists biographical facts about Michael Jackson, with each attribute and its value labeled.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Michael Joseph Jackson |
| Date of birth | August 29, 1958 |
| Place of birth | Gary, Indiana |
| Date of death | June 25, 2009 |
| Age at death | 50 |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter, dancer, philanthropist |
| Years active | 1964 to 2009 |
| Former group | The Jackson 5 |
| Best-selling album | Thriller (1982) |
| Cause of death | Cardiac arrest caused by acute propofol intoxication |
How Did Michael Jackson’s Career Develop?
Michael Jackson began his career in 1964 and rose to solo stardom with the album Off the Wall in 1979. The 7 career milestones below are listed in chronological order:
- 1964: Joined the Jackson Brothers, a band formed by his father, alongside his brother Marlon.
- 1979: Released Off the Wall.
- 1982: Released Thriller on November 30.
- 1983: Performed the moonwalk at Motown 25 on March 25.
- 1984: Won 8 Grammy Awards for Thriller.
- 1988: Published the autobiography Moonwalk on February 1.
- 2005: Was found not guilty at a criminal trial on June 13.
What Is the Michael Jackson Autobiography Moonwalk?
Moonwalk is the 1988 autobiography of Michael Jackson, first published by Doubleday on February 1, 1988, and named after his signature dance move. It was published 5 months after the album Bad. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, an editor at Doubleday, edited the book, wrote its foreword, and secured the deal with a $300,000 advance. Stephen Davis also provided input to the book. The table below lists publication facts for Moonwalk, with each attribute and its detail labeled.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Title | Moonwalk |
| Author | Michael Jackson |
| First publication date | February 1, 1988 |
| Original US publisher | Doubleday |
| Editor | Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis |
| Reported advance | $300,000 |
| Bestseller status | Number 1 on the New York Times bestseller list |
| Reported English-language sales | 1 million copies |
| New edition | October 13, 2009 |
The table draws on Doubleday publication details, the Wikipedia entry for the book, and The Bookseller’s report on the 2009 edition.
What Does the Book Moonwalk Cover?
Moonwalk covers Jackson’s childhood, the rise of the Jackson 5 through Motown, and his friendships. Friends discussed in the book include Diana Ross, Berry Gordy, Quincy Jones, Paul McCartney, Fred Astaire, Marlon Brando, and Katharine Hepburn.
What Records and Awards Did Michael Jackson Earn?
Michael Jackson won 13 Grammy Awards from 38 nominations. The table below lists his award totals by award type.
| Award | Total Won |
|---|---|
| Grammy Awards | 13 |
| American Music Awards | 26 |
| World Music Awards | 12 |
| MTV Video Music Awards | 8 |
| Brit Awards | 6 |
| US presidential honors | 3 |
At the 1984 Grammy Awards, he won 8 awards for Thriller, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year. He also received the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Thriller, released in 1982, is the best-selling album in history.
How Did Michael Jackson Die?
Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, from cardiac arrest caused by acute propofol intoxication. The Los Angeles County coroner ruled his death a homicide on August 28, 2009. He was preparing for the This Is It comeback concerts at the time. He was buried at Forest Lawn cemetery in Glendale, California, on September 3, 2009.
Who Was Convicted in Michael Jackson’s Death?
A jury convicted Dr. Conrad Murray, Jackson’s personal physician, of involuntary manslaughter on November 7, 2011. The judge sentenced Murray to the maximum of 4 years on November 29, 2011.
Which Film Depicts Michael Jackson’s Life?
The film Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua, covers Jackson’s life from his childhood with the Jackson 5 to the Bad World Tour in the late 1980s. It was released in theaters on April 24, 2026. Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson’s nephew, stars in his feature film debut. Colman Domingo plays Joe Jackson, and Nia Long plays Katherine Jackson.
The film opened with $97 million in North America and $217.4 million worldwide. It later passed $1.01 billion worldwide, the highest total for a biopic.
What Are People Also Asking About the Michael Jackson Moonwalk?
What is the moonwalk dance move?
The moonwalk is a popping dance move in which the performer glides backward while the body suggests forward motion.
Which song did Michael Jackson moonwalk to?
Michael Jackson performed the moonwalk to “Billie Jean” at Motown 25 on March 25, 1983.
Did Michael Jackson invent the moonwalk?
Michael Jackson did not invent the moonwalk, since similar moves date to at least 1955, and he popularized the move worldwide in 1983.
Did Michael Jackson write a book about the moonwalk?
Michael Jackson wrote the 1988 autobiography Moonwalk, which is named after his signature dance move.
How old was Michael Jackson when he died?
Michael Jackson was 50 years old when he died on June 25, 2009.
Why Is the Moonwalk Associated With Michael Jackson?
The moonwalk is associated with Michael Jackson because his 1983 performance of “Billie Jean” at Motown 25 brought the move to a worldwide audience. He later used the move on tours and live performances and named his 1988 autobiography Moonwalk after it. The Michael Jackson moonwalk biography spans 50 years, from his birth in Gary, Indiana, in 1958 to his death in Los Angeles in 2009.
Sources: Wikipedia, Moonwalk (dance) | The Quietus, Michael Jackson’s Moonwalk | Kottke, The Origins of the Moonwalk | Wikipedia, Moonwalk (book) | The Daily Beast, Jacqueline Onassis Edits Moonwalk | The Bookseller, Moonwalk re-release | CNN, Michael Jackson Fast Facts (via KTVZ) | Wikipedia, Michael Jackson | Associated Press, Murray sentencing (Las Vegas Sun) | ComingSoon, Michael box office | The Afro, Michael release date