This article is for quizzes on Tuesday April 5th...
The
moonwalk (also known as "the Glide" by inner-city youth) is a
dance move in which the dancer moves backwards while appearing to be
making the physical movement of walking forwards. A
popping move, it became popular around the world after
Michael Jackson performed the dance move during a performance of "
Billie Jean" on
Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever on March 25, 1983. This special was broadcast May 16, 1983. It subsequently became his
signature move.
An
illusion
is involved in creating the appearance of the dancer gliding backwards.
Initially, the front foot is held flat on the ground, while the back
foot is in a
tiptoe
position. The flat front foot remains on the ground but is slid lightly
and smoothly backward past the tip-toe back foot. What is now the front
foot is lowered flat, while the back foot is raised into the tiptoe
position. These steps are repeated over and over creating the illusion
that the dancer is being pulled backwards by an unseen force while
trying to walk forward. Variations of this move allow the moon walking
to also appear to glide forwards, sideways, and even in a circle.
Ironically, it would be almost impossible to actually do the moonwalk on the moon, due to its low gravity.
