In 1982, Michael Jackson made history by performing what became known
as the "moonwalk dance" before an amazed crowd on the MoTown 25 television show. To this day
the distinctive bass sound of "Billie Jean" brings to mind the strangely fluid backwards walking motion.
Michael Jackson's 1983 hit "Thriller" can always be heard blaring in dance
studios worldwide. The horror themed pop song was used to produce one of the most
influential music videos of all time. Filled with zombies and crazed ghouls, the
video made an international impact and is still widely celebrated for it's iconic
dance scene.
The original music video was directed by Jake Nava, and choreographed by Frank Gatson and JaQuel
Knight. The video was made on a small budget due to the large amount spent on Beyonce's video for the
title single If I Were A Boy. Knowles premiered the music videos on MTV's Total Request Live show on
October 13th, 2008. The format and choreography were inspired by Gwen Verdon's performance of
Mexican Breakfast on the Ed Sullivanm Show in 1969.
