The Moonwalk
By RasmaSandra
@RasmaSandra (94418)
Daytona Beach, Florida
February 19, 2026 2:34pm CST
Probably when you hear about this dance Moonwalk you think about Michael Jackson. This technique was actually inspired by Jeffrey Daniel of Shalamar, who performed it on British TV in 1982. Jackson first performed it during the Motown 25th Anniversary special on TV on May 16, 1983. The moonwalk creates an illusion of the dancer being pulled backwards while attempting to walk forward, making it appear as though they’re gliding across the floor. This iconic move became synonymous with Michael Jackson and elevated dance from social activity to high-performance art.
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10 people like this
9 responses
@celticeagle (185809)
• Boise, Idaho
14h
What a talent. I don't care what they say about him I think he was a grand soul and it's horrible that he was taken so early. Some of these genius performers have such a bad time of it. But I sure enjoy seeing videos of his 'high-performance art'.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (94418)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
14h
@celticeagle a great talent. It was tragic because his kids were so little too,
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (94418)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
14h
@AmbiePam might be a fun thing to try, but you have to have soles that slide on the floor.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (73488)
• Philippines
12h
Yes, it's Michael Jackson who made it so popular all over the world. It became so famous that professional dancers here would do the dance step back in the 80s.
@JudyEv (372190)
• Rockingham, Australia
5h
Whatever you thought of Michael Jackson, you have to admit he was a great dancer.
@misunderstood_zombie (8545)
• United States
10h
I also saw someone from the 1930s do something similar to a moonwalk, so I guess it has been around.
It's toward the end.
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@ocard010101 (59)
•
10h
It’s fascinating how the moonwalk’s roots trace back to Jeffrey Daniel, yet Michael Jackson turned it into a worldwide symbol of dance artistry.
@Deepizzaguy (118456)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
12h
I did not know that Jeffrey Daniel did the Moonwalk dance before Michael performed the dance.
