[Ads-l] Antedating of "Moonwalk" (Backwards Dance Step)

[Shapiro, Fred]

moonwalk (OED, backwards dance step, 1984)

1983 Denver Post 7 Oct. D1/5 (Genealogy Bank)  She's [Diana Ross] a legendary lady, and for every artistic slipup she's made, they paled next to the sight of her pulling a kid out of the audience to dance the "moonwalk" with her.

1983 New Pittsburgh Courier 22 Oct. 25 (ProQuest)  He learned the 'Moonwalk' and the 'Backslide' while mopping floors ... Those two dances are performed best by Michael Jackson and Shalamar's Jeffrey Daniels.  It's best described as a backward skating effect.

Fred Shapiro

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