Speaking of Dance Moves on widely watched TV shows...

[cthulu2016]

Last edited Tue Feb 5, 2013, 05:31 PM - Edit history (1)

I don't think we had the acronym "WTF?" in 1983, but that was the (positive) reaction of about 100% of the audience of the famous Motown 25th Anniversary Special when Michael Jackson debuted his trademark "moonwalk"—a striking classic mime move Incorporated into dance.

When Cab Calloway did it in the 1930s he called it "the Buzz." Tap-dancer Bill Bailey used it sometimes. James Brown was known to "moonwalk," though not by that name.

And anyone who studied mime learned the technique—it's a big part of walking into the imaginary wind or pushing imaginary weights. It was a standard Marcel Marceau move.

I doubt that anyone can be said to have invented the moonwalk. There were probably street performers delighting passersby with the move in ancient Egypt. But Jackson (a wonderful, dedicated and eclectic dancer) made it a trademark.

[KurtNYC]

1. 30 years later we get to this...

[cthulu2016]

2. My ankles hurt just watching

I like how dance, and performance in general, is like magic... it's all about what the audience sees and expects. The dub stepper is constantly moving in a way that runs counter to our expectation.

The only trick to the moonwalk is that the planted foot (flat) does the moving while the pointed foot stays still, but we expect the flat foot to be the stationary (planted) foot.

[otohara]

3. He's Also Lip-Syncing Singing

Last edited Tue Feb 5, 2013, 07:38 PM - Edit history (1)

I am outraged...

Get your ass back here MJ and explain yourself.