A bird that can Moonwalk? Includes a history of the dance move. You will enjoy watching this video!
Everyone who has ever attended a school disco has attempted to perform this dance move, guaranteed to impress, the moonwalk. Even if you where not the dancing sort, the chances are you observed some poor fool attempt this move. The moonwalk sometimes called the “backslide”, gives the illusion that the dancer is walking forwards whilst moving backwards.
Manakin
None however can perform the move quite as fluidly and wonderfully as the Red-Capped Manakin as shown in the following tip. Before you ask this is not the name of a dancer, but the name of a bird. The male of the species uses the moonwalk to attract a mate. This has a remarkable pleasing final product to watch.
In this video the Manakin is shown strutting its stuff to Michael Jackson.
History
The moonwalk was popularised by Michael Jackson in the 1980's and became his signature move, used in his music videos for “Smooth Criminal” and “JAM”. Many people had been working on the moonwalk before Jackson. Tap dancer Bill Bailey was recorded performing the move on stage in 1955 as the finale move to his act.
Your Turn
If you have been inspired to put on your dancing shoes and work your moves, incorporating the moonwalk this great video will show you how. Good Luck.
Have you heard the Weird Al parody of the Michael Jackson song? I like it better than the original song.