How to do a moonwalk?

Michael Jackson has forever left an indelible mark on the world of show business not only with his hits, but also with an unforgettable moonwalk. Moonwalk is a dance movement that became world famous for Jackson's performance in 1983. This movement was known before, but the singer performed it with his inherent originality and sophistication, thanks to which the moonwalk is popular to this day among dance lovers.

If you want to learn how to do this movement easily and naturally, then first take Michael's live recordings and watch closely how he performs his famous moonwalk. With a little patience and practice, you will learn to dance just like Jackson!

Michael Jackson's moonwalk: technique

So, let's take a step-by-step look at how to do a moonwalk?

• Take soft shoes. For a start, it is better to train in socks - without shoes, your feet slide more freely and your toes bend better.
• Move on a smooth floor - parquet or slippery tiles will do.
• It is best to train in front of a large mirror to give you better control over your movements.
• Before training, knead all joints and ligaments well, especially the ankle.
• How to learn to do a moonwalk? Place both feet together. Move your right foot forward, and both feet do not need to be lifted off the floor.
• Move your body weight to your right leg, lift your right heel. Left leg still standing on the floor.
• Lower your right heel to the floor while simultaneously sliding your left foot along the floor. When you lower your right heel to the floor, immediately lift your left heel up. The toe of the left foot and the heel of the right foot should be at the same level.
• Now repeat this step, only now the right foot will slide along the floor, and the heel of the left foot will drop to the floor. Repeat this movement several times. Now it is clear how to do the moonwalk!

Perform all movements very carefully so as not to damage the muscles and ligaments. Don't try Jackson's dance the first time. Patience and constant training are the keys to good luck! Movements should be performed smoothly, watch the center of gravity. Move your center of gravity to the leg that is bent at the knee. It is unacceptable if you fall from side to side in the dance. Exercise until the moonwalk is easy and casual with your shoes on.

If you do not understand the descriptions of how to do the moonwalk, a video on this topic will be of great help to you. On the Internet, you will find a lot of training videos in which professional dancers and amateurs share the secrets of the skill.

Now you know how to do the moonwalk. We hope our article will help you, and soon you will amaze your friends and acquaintances with your inimitable dance!

Most people associate the term "moonwalk" with the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson. But in fact, this dance movement was invented a little earlier, it was just that Jackson popularized it and made his performance almost perfect. After the release of the unforgettable hit "Billie Jean", thousands of dancers around the world were concerned about the question: how to learn the moonwalk? Some have reached great heights in this, but still Jackson will remain the king of the moonwalk for centuries.

"By the time I first performed the moonwalk during a performance, it was already popular in the city ghettos. Black children danced this simple dance at the crossroads. In general, dark-skinned dancers are great inventors, they came up with a lot of simple and ingenious movements. I was rehearsing in the kitchen for my performance at the Motown Records anniversary, and then the thought came to me that I could use the moonwalk at this event. I turned to three black guys I knew to show me how to dance it. me to the basics of the moonwalk, I added some of my movements to it, so to speak, adjusted it for myself. Performing it, I imagined that I was walking on the moon, moving back and forth at the same time "- Jackson recalls in his memoir Moonwalk.

Now the moonwalk is used as an element of choreography by many dance groups performing with artists on stage. When performed professionally, from the side it seems that the dancer seems to float back through the air, barely touching the floor with his toes. Technically, such movements seem complicated only outwardly. In fact, the moonwalk is quite simple, it can be mastered even by a person who is not involved in dancing professionally. There are a lot of video tutorials on this topic on the Internet, there are also enough pictures with step by step action.

To learn how to moonwalk, follow our recommendations

1. Starting position: we stand straight, the back is extended, the arms are bent at the elbows. The right leg is brought out to the right with the toe forward, the left leg is pushed back.
2. Standing on your toes, raise your left leg, keeping it slightly bent at the knee. We focus on the left leg.
3. Now we carry out the main element - sliding. Raising the right leg in the heel, we begin to slide it back, touching the floor with only the toe.
4. While sliding, you need to "drop" (abruptly lower) the heel of the left foot, while doing the opposite with the right foot. Thus, the left foot was at the bottom, the right one at the top. This is the main element of the moonwalk.

Further, it all depends on how much you master the technique of sliding. The entire dance is a quick repetition of steps 1-4. At the same time, you need to master the technique of plastic movement with your hands. The arms bent at the elbows alternately move back and forth. However, the movements of the hands in a moonwalk are not so fundamental - as we remember, Michael Jackson, while performing his signature act, could raise his hands up, pat himself on the sides, etc.
Much depends on the dancer's shoes. The easiest way to learn to dance the moonwalk is in shoes with flat soles that glide well on the floor - moccasins are best. Although professional dancers can perform this movement in any shoe.

They call it sliding back, although, having thoroughly mastered the technique, you can move forward, sideways and even
round.

Moonwalk: Before the King and After

For the first time, steps similar to a moonwalk were demonstrated by back in 1932 the jazzman Cab Calloway... But in all its glory, the moonwalk appeared in the film "Children of Paradise"
in 1945, where it was performed by two mimes. In subsequent years, many dancers, actors and singers used the spectacular technique. Each of them brought something new to the technique or
dance staging. Rock musician David Bowie was possibly the first to perform a moonwalk while staying in place. Later, Michael Jackson said that he visited
in 1974 one of the Bowie shows in Los Angeles.

In 1983, two important moonwalk events happened. First, it was first performed by Michael Jackson first on a TV show, and, a little later, during
song time Billie Jean. Secondly, the Oscar-winning film "Flash Dance" with a moonwalk in one of the break-dance numbers was released. Many people today are sure
that the moonwalk was invented by Michael Jackson, so skillfully he managed to make it his business card.

moonwalk looks very impressive, while there are no particularly complex elements in it. But to work out the smoothness and fluidity of movements will have to spend
a lot of time. However, training with your favorite music will certainly be a joy.

Unlike hustle and macarena, "moonwalk" still retained a touch of street romance. Here's a guide on how to perform it in all its glory.

Step 1: find a slippery floor
Find a floor that works well for sliding, such as wood or tiled.

clue: It will be easier to learn the movements if you start doing it in socks.

Step 2: put your feet together
Stand up straight with your feet together. Then move your right leg slightly forward in relation to the left, while leaving both
feet on the floor.

Step 3: lift your heel
Raise your right heel so that your weight is on your right toes. The left leg remains on the floor at this time.

Step 4: lower your heel
Begin to lower your right heel to the floor, while sliding your left foot back on the floor until your left toes are on
flush with the heel of the right foot.

Step 5: Repeat with your left foot
When the toes of the left foot are aligned with the heel of the right foot, lift the left heel and repeat the process - only "in the lead" on
this time the left leg.

clue: remember that the weight should be on the leg that is lifted so that the other leg can easily slide back, as if just lightly touching the floor.

Step 6: exercise
Practice this movement until it becomes easy for you even in sneakers.

Top Break Lessons: Moon Walking

To learn to dance this movement you need:

1) The most important thing is comfortable and soft shoes in which the foot can move;
2) You need to learn to move your legs plastically;
3) And finally, the movement itself:
Place your feet in this way: bring the right one forward a little and put it on the heel, and put the left one on the toe. Start moving gradually. Move like this: your
the right leg runs along the left and stands on the toe, the left is slightly brought forward and stands on the heel. That is, the legs should be swapped. But: they should change in
walking movement, that is, when you do a moonwalk, you do all these movements and at the same time you move, which in reality is very similar to the way
moving. For greater plasticity, you can also simultaneously make a wave with your hands (both over your shoulder and just with your hand).

Milek Jackson is considered one of the finest choreographers and dancers in history. His craft was the best of the best among those in the pop industry. He always succeeded in this easily, and so far he remains the most outstanding artist (of course, not in the literal sense of the word). You can enjoy his performances and movements in various videos. Michael dances so beautifully that the dance looks very organic and simple, as if you are able to get up right there and repeat everything without difficulty! But, this is where Michael Jackson's great talent as an artist lies - to do the difficult things with ease and ease! How to learn to dance like him? What is the secret of movement? Naturally, the famous "moonwalk" is the singer's calling card. This movement is a special technique where the dancer moves backward while trying to move forward. This is how the illusion of sliding is created.

How to learn movement

To learn how to do a gliding moonwalk, you need curly hair and shiny socks. They say this is the key to success! And here are the phased technical movements:

1. On a full foot, put one leg forward;
2. Take the second back and put it on your fingers;
3. With the leg, the one in front, begin to slide easily and gently backward, past the leg that is in the back;
4. Now, with the leg that was in front, put it on the whole foot, and lift the back one on toes;
5. Repeat these movements over and over. All kinds of variations of the moonwalk movements, allow you to slide to the right, left, forward, and also in a circle. Now you know how easy it is to learn this intricate movement.

Michael Jackson's moonwalk

For the first time, the artist showed a moonwalk back in 1983, it happened on an American TV show in live when they performed the song "Billie Jean". Young Michael, wearing a hat, one glove, black jacket, silver T-shirt, silver socks and black trousers, made a splash. He turned around himself and made this world-famous gait.

The star's dancing attracted a huge number of spectators, and the movement itself, called the moonwalk, became very popular. Dancing is considered the second nature of the famous singer. The first is, of course, music, which took most of his life.

Interesting that in 1989 they shot a film where Michael played the main role, he portrayed himself. This movie is called Moonwalker. The singer considered dancing to be such an important part of the image that even the biopic was called "Moonwalk", which translates as "Moonwalk".

Pop idol dancing secrets

In addition to the moonwalk, dancers all over the world love to repeat another trick of the star. This is tilt of the body 45 degrees to the floor... You can see this in the music video for the song "Smooth Criminal". There are many variations and versions on the topic: how to perform this trick. Some argue that in the stage costumes of Michael himself and his dancers, special pins were installed, according to the shape and size of the heel, which at some point were pulled out and fixed. The dancer himself patented this boot design.