Which dance move was popularized by Michael Jackson in 1983?

Which dance move was popularized by Michael Jackson in 1983? The answer is the Moonwalk. Jackson made the move famous during his performance of “Billie Jean” on the television special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever.

The performance was recorded on March 25, 1983, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium and broadcast by NBC on May 16. Jackson glided backward while appearing to move forward, creating the illusion that his feet were floating across the stage. The moment became one of the defining performances of his career.

Jackson did not invent the basic movement. Similar backward-gliding steps had appeared in earlier dance traditions, and dancer Jeffrey Daniel helped teach Jackson the technique. The move was often called the “backslide” before Jackson popularized the name “moonwalk.” He later used it in concerts, music videos, and televised performances, making it one of the most recognizable dance moves in popular culture.