History Main / MoonwalkDance

* ComicBook/SpirouAndFantasio: In the album ''Le groom de sniper alley'', Spirou and Spip escape said sniper alley while dodging bullets, with [[DanceBattler dance moves]]. [[https://i.pinimg.com/736x/5f/19/d5/5f19d55ffee2fcd2dd7fcec85a97f701.jpg Which includes moonwalk]].

-->-- '''Comicbook/{{Deadpool}}''', ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3''

* Near the end of ''Film/AustinPowers 3'' [[spoiler:Scott Evil performing a moonwalk just before the end credits.]]

[[folder:Web Original]]

* Early on in Blog/{{Moonstuck}}, Woona decides to moonwalk during a long walk across the surface of the moon.

[[folder:Web Video]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}:'' In "The Prisoner of Zenda", Bender uses the moonwalk as a Reverse Turing Test (to prove he actually is a machine, since he's stuck in Amy's body). It works.
-->'''General Basil:''' He... steps forward, but moves backwards!
-->'''Emperor Nikolai:''' By the gods! He is a machine!
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'': In "Sleuth or Consequences", Lincoln is seen doing that while he is dressed up as Ace Savvy in bed.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Robozuna}}'': Spark does this in "Hacked" while asking, "Who's bad? "

** As part of his dancing as a Springfield mascotte in "Dancin' Homer" Homer performs a moonwalk.
** In the episode [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS3E1StarkRavingDad "Stark Raving Dad"]], where the real Michael Jackson voiced himself Jackson (as the mental patient Leon Kompowski who thinks he is Jackson) demonstrates this dance because Homer has never heard of the famous singer. Homer is amazed at the moonwalk and asks Michael: "How do you do that thing with your feet?" Jackson shows him, Homer tries, but he slides forwards instead of backwards. Later in the episode, after Bart is informed by phone that Michael Jackson will pay a visit to his house, he tells Marge that Homer is in an asylum and performs the moonwalk while humming the melody of "Beat It" at the same time.
** Homer does the move correctly in "He Loves To Fly And D'ohses" while preparing to bowl.
** In the couch gag of "Them, Robot" Leon Kompowski (from the episode "Stark Raving Dad") is seen moonwalking by for a brief moment when the clip show mentions the year 1991.
* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': In "Meet the Jeffersons", Mr. Jefferson (actually Michael Jackson himself under a PaperThinDisguise) performs the moonwalk briefly. When Ike is possessed by Jackson's ghost in ''Dead Celebrities'' he briefly does it too.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'' episode "Sleepover", Marco attempts this to impress his crush Jackie, but then he trips and falls on his butt.
* ''WesternAnimation/TwoDTV'': One gag, referencing Michael's ''baby bungling incident'' in 2002, had Jackson teaching his infant to moonwalk from one end of a window to another across the street by tightrope walking over a washing cord.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheMrMenShow'': Mr. Grumpy did this in the website exclusive music video of "Dillydale Dance Floor".

* ''Website/ChuckNorrisFacts'': Creator/ChuckNorris invented the Moonwalk, and it went forward. When Music/MichaelJackson performed a backward version at the ''Creator/{{Motown}} 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever'' [[MilestoneCelebration anniversary special]], Chuck threatened to RoundhouseKick MJ off the stage [[DisproportionateRetribution if he messed up his moves again]]. MJ [[OhCrap got so scared]], he [[DiseaseBleach turned white]].

In 1983, Music/MichaelJackson appeared during the ''Creator/{{Motown}} 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever'' anniversary special. After performing with his brothers, he did a solo performance, namely his hit song [[Music/BillieJean "Billie Jean"]] from his then-recent album ''Music/{{Thriller}}''. As Jackson amazed the crowd with his smooth and undeniably "cool" dance moves, he suddenly premiered a dance that looks like he was walking forwards while going backwards at the same time. Despite only lasting a few seconds, the crowd went berserk, and the next day Jackson was the talk of the town, increasing his already massive national and international exposure. Creator/FredAstaire saw the show on TV and personally called up Michael to meet him and show him how to do that particular dance, a question many people back then wondered about. Several have tried it and it is possible to do after much practicing, but it remains quite complex for beginners.

* "Anime/StitchMeetsHighSchoolMusical": Felix does this while sweeping the court at the same time during the aliens' dance.

-->--'''Comicbook/{{Deadpool}}''', ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3''

In 1983 Music/MichaelJackson appeared during the ''Creator/{{Motown}} 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever'' anniversary special. After performing with his brothers he did a solo performance, namely his hit song "Billie Jean" from his then recent album ''Music/{{Thriller}}''. As Jackson amazed the crowd with his smooth and undeniably "cool" dance moves, he suddenly premiered a dance that looks like the person is walking forwards while going backwards at the same time. Despite only lasting a few seconds, the crowd went berserk and next day Jackson was the talk of the town, increasing his already massive national and international exposure. Creator/FredAstaire saw the show on TV and personally called up Michael to meet him and show him how to do that particular dance, a question many people back then wondered about. Several have tried it and it is possible to do after much practicing, but remains quite complex for beginners.

The dance was dubbed the ''moonwalk'', because [[SpaceIsSlowMotion it seemed as if the performer was walking on the moon while doing it]]. It became an essential part of every Jackson concert and for many people the [[JustHereForGodzilla highlight of the show]]. He named both his autobiography and movie ''Film/{{Moonwalker}}'' after it and the dance became one of his trademarks.

[[WrongfullyAttributed Yet Michael didn't invent it, as he was quick to point out himself]]. He had learned it from some black school children in the early 1980s, who knew it as "The Glide". Other sources claim he was inspired by Music/JamesBrown who also used the move and/or mime artist Creator/MarcelMarceau during his famous "walking against the wind" sketch, where he pretends to be pushed backwards by a gust of wind. Even Music/CabCalloway claimed [[OlderThanTheyThink that the dance move had been around since the 1930s]] and [[CallARabbitASmeerp that they called it "The Buzz" back then. Others claim it was named the "backslide"]]. However, none of these early prototypes quite match the magic and swift perfection of Jackson's performance. Generally most of them are much slower and the dancers don't move backwards very far. Although if they had the same amount of massive media exposure Jackson had at the time things might have been different.

Nevertheless the dance is nowadays universally recognized as the ''moonwalk''. And although Jackson wasn't the TropeNamer for the ''moonwalk'' he is definitely the TropeCodifier. Since he popularized it and made it his trademark virtually all appearances of a moonwalk in popular culture will automatically be assumed to be a shout-out to the "King of Pop". Because of this it has become both a StockPose as well as a StockParody.

* Dante does this dance in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' when he obtains the Faust Hat weapon. In fact, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNFoFNcd1Ws&t=2m7s the entire cutscene]] for it is a Michael Jackson reference.

* In ''VideoGame/SonicColors'', Sonic did this in one of the cutsenses.
* In the ''VideoGame/WarioWare'' microgame 'Stalled Out' (Gold version) there's a chance someone will exit their stall doing this.

* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioParty'' has Waluigi moonwalk when he wins in the Sound Stage mode as his "freestyle" dance. The animation would be reused as part of a board event in Horror Land for ''[[MegamixGame Mario Party Superstars]]''.

->''Stand on your tiptoes, then bring your foot down. Move into it. Now you're moonwalkin'!''

* In VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureACrackInTime Alister Azimuth does this when Ratchet uses the Groovitron on him.

[[folder:Film -- Animated]]

[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]