Michael Jackson: Thinking is the biggest mistake a dancer could make. You need to feel. You become the bass, you become the fanfare, you become the clarinet and the flute and the strings and the drums.
Martin Bashir: So you almost become the physical embodiment of the music.
Michael Jackson: Yeah.

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Michael Jackson was, without a doubt, one of the greatest performers of all time. His older brother, Jermaine, was intended to be the lead singer of the group; however, even at the young age of four, Michael quickly stole the spotlight and captured the hearts of their audience. He was the star of the Jackson 5 and remained the star through the Jackson 5’s transformation into the Jacksons.

As he transitioned into his solo career, he rose through the charts, becoming one of the most popular artists in America. He quickly developed his own individuality in his sense of style, his singing, and his dancing.

When most people think of Michael Jackson, they think primarily of his musical career. Many, however, fail to remember that he was also an incredible dancer. His dance style is one of the most recognizable in the world. It was typically fast-paced with sharp movements. Most of the focus was directed to his waist down with lots of movement of the feet, crotch grabbing, hip thrusts, kicking, and his signature moonwalk. Although Michael Jackson was not the originator of the moonwalk,–his most famous move in which he gave the appearance of purposefully walking forward while gliding backwards across the stage–he made it his own, and it is now associated mostly with him. Even the rhythmic rising of his pants as he moved to show off his white socks seemed to become a part of the choreography.

  

He didn’t only focus on his feet however. He used his arms a lot as well in many of his signature poses and most famous dance moves.

He also emphasized hand movements with the use of a shiny, white glove on a single hand.

Although his hands and upper body were also important in his dancing, his footwork remained the main attraction, mesmerizing people across the globe. People began to imitate his unique style; this was impossible however. Yes, the dance style of Michael Jackson was unique; but when coupled with his unique persona–the boyishness, the sweetness, the rage, the androgyny, all rolled up into one contradictory yet fascinating human being–it became something that no one could ever effectively copy. His charm was distinct and permeated everything he did, especially his dancing.

The loss of Michael Jackson was the loss of one of the greatest performers of all time. He was a legend in both the world of music and of dance. His unique style, with its sharp movements and extensive footwork, will never truly emerge again; there will be no other like Michael Jackson. Those shoes that moonwalked their way into the hearts of his fans are simply too large to fill.

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Sources:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/27/arts/music/27assess.html?_r=5&register=google

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/michael-jackson/biography