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PADWD1001 Dance Essay, Semester 1, 2015

The 1982 release of Michael Jacksons album Thriller irrevocably transformed the nature of the
international music industry and the face of popular culture in general. The album became the best
selling album of all time1; with roughly 100 million copies sold worldwide, earning eight Grammy
Awards in the process2. The resulting 1983 releases of Michael Jacksons Beat It and Thriller
music videos significantly contributed to this success and are arguably responsible for the longevity
and depth of Jacksons influence as a vocalist and dancer. They are also responsible for the rise to
prominence of the MTV channel, which was first to air them thereby benefitting from their
immense immediate popularity, and in ushering in the age of the music video 3. Both the Beat It
and Thriller feature significant narrative elements, which drive the action and influence the
choreography of both works. Although the choices made by Jackson and his chorographical
collaborator Michael Peters, are utilized to articulate and accentuate the particular themes presented
in the aforementioned videos, that has not stopped their moves being coopted by other artists and
incorporated into their works. Indeed, the general notion of using mini-movie style music video to
accompany a song, as opposed to a generic promotional video was arguably founded, and at the
very least elevated, by Jackson, which can be seen in that styles extensive usage in contemporary
works.

Jackson made no secret about his affection for traditional showbiz and the glamour that goes with
it4 so it is unsurprising that, when paired renowned musical theatre choreographer Michael Peters,

1 Barnes, Brooks A Star Idolized and Haunted, Michael Jackson dies at 50, New York Times (25 June 2009)
2 Ibid
3 Ibid
4 Connelly, Christopher Album Reviews: Michael Jacksons Thriller, Rolling Stone (28 January 1983)

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who had previously shared a Tony award with Michael Bennett for Dreamgirls 5, both videos
generate a distinctly theatrical impression. Indeed, The Michael Jacksons Beat It and Thriller
music videos has been described as a sophisticated blend of musical theatre and pop values 6.
Beat It begins with two rival street gangs marshaling their forces. Jacksons lone voice is heard
above the scene discouraging the unnecessary hyper-masculine posturing of the gang-related
violence, which was widespread at the time the video was made. Jackson said that he wrote the
song and produced the video to bring the world together 7 and encourage the gang members to
turn the other cheek8. Fittingly, the piece ends with Jackson stopping a knife fight between two
rival gang leaders (one played by Peters) and then leading them in a large-scale choreographed
dance sequence, suggesting that their difference can be overcome though cooperation as opposed to
antagonism.

Interestingly, the general movement of the gang members seems largely relaxed in contrast
to Jacksons acute, repeated angular kicks and pelvic isolations 9, with much of their choreography
appearing as short stylized extensions of organic gangster-esque movements 10. The simultaneous
juxtaposition of Jacksons pacifist vocal message and his aggressive choreography, and the calm
movements of the gang-members with their violent intent, accentuate the frustration felt by Jackson
at the normalcy of this type of behaviour, and reinforces the anti-violent message of the work. The
final harmony sequences contains the first formal articulation of the move, The Worm, which peters

5 Day, Patrick Kevin, Martens Todd, 25 Thriller Facts The Los Angeles Times (12 February 2008)
6 Dunning, Jennifer Michael Peters, A Choreographer of Dreamgirls, is dead at 46, New York Times (1 September
1994)
7 Behind the scenes of the making of Beat It Rare. Online video clip. YouTube (6 September 2010) accessed at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tqO37PMNf0
8 Ibid
9 Ibid
10 Op Cit. Barnes, Brooks

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describes as a wave of energy from the penis to the tip of the head 11, which has since been widely
used across a variety of dance styles. The general marriage of a flawless fusion of jazz and pop
dance styles as a narrative vehicle to deliver an important message of harmony are why this music
video has enjoyed such great success and continues to be influential in the contemporary dance
industry. Jackson introduced the notion that dance technique, integrated with lyrics could be a
means by which a message could be delivered to the public, and thus dramatically increased their
emotional resonance with the general public, as evidenced by its continuing popularity.

Jacksons Thriller music video took this concept a step further. The clip begins with a couple
(Jackson and Ola Ray) watching a horror movie with Ray walking out because she is too scared. On
their way home Jackson sings the first few verse of the song in while mocking Ray with
stereotypical zombie movements (which appear, refined, in a choreographed sequence later in the
clip). As the pair walk past a graveyard a host of zombies awake from the dead, eventually
surrounding them, the music stops as the camera pans to reveal Jackson as a zombie and then leads
into a large-scale dance sequences.

Throughout the dance sequence, Jackson and the company of zombies employ a variety of
isolated and syncopated movements to accentuate the unnaturalness of their characters. The
syncopated steps featured is also a result Michael Peters emphasis in coordinating his
choreography to the sounds of the instruments 12 as opposed to counting out the steps as used in
ballet and other modern dance13, which aligns the dancers to the emotional sentiments of the music
as opposed to strictly to the rhythm Particularly, the isolation and syncopated movement of the head
11 Chu Daniel, Rowes Barbar Michael Peters is the hot new choreographer who makes dancers out of rock stars.
People Magazine. Volume 21. Number 25 (25 June 1984)
12 Op Cit. Chu Daniel, Rowes Barbar Michael Peters is the hot new choreographer who makes dancers out of rock
stars. People Magazine. Volume 21. Number 25 (25 June 1984)
13 Ibid

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backwards through the opening sequence of this part dance break is particularly effective as it gives
the dancers a more corpse like impression. Indeed, the choreography oscillates between isolated
limp upper body movements giving the dancers an almost rag-doll impression, and stiff, rigid
movements commonly associated with zombies. Notably, the studio hired four pop and lock dance
specialists for the video, which emphasizes the role that isolation plays in the piece.

The connection of the choreography and the emotion of the music, combined to the themes of both
of the pieces is arguably responsible for the popularity and the influence of Jacksons music videos.
It allowed the audience to emotionally connect with the piece as a whole, instead of having the
choreography as pure ornamentation. Although, no performer has really managed to replicate the
emotional resonance of Jacksons vocal and chorographical performances the influence of his
extensive use of narrative in his music videos can be seen in contemporary works. Lady Gagas
Born This Way music video owes much to Jacksons groundbreaking work and clearly follows his
pattern of establishing the plot prior to the introduction of the music, with the dance style used to
reflect the general style of the piece. Similarly, Katy Perrys toys with narrative elements evocative
of Jacksons work. Jacksons music videos also had wide-reaching consequences for the African
American community he represented. The vast popularity of the Thriller album in general, but
particularly Eddie Van Halens appearance on guitar as part of Beat It, led to a breakdown of the
traditional racial barriers on FM radio14. Similarly, MTV, which had a reputation for featuring
predominantly white performers, showed a heavy rotation of Jackson videos to meet the demand,
thereby instigating and then mainstreaming a black presence on the program.

The significance of Michael Jacksons influence as a performer is undeniable. Not only were his
songs fundamentally different to the vast majority of his predecessors, the grandeur and quality of
14 Day, Patrick Kevin, Martens Todd, 25 Thriller Facts The Los Angeles Times (12 February 2008)

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the additional elements of the pieces that accompanied them, such as his music videos, permanently
changed the face of popular music and society in general. Their influence stems from their
revolutionary nature: binding emotionally resonant music with effective, exciting, expressive
choreography. In many ways his music videos can draw analogies to the advent of the integrated
musical, and that Jackson combined, and elevated, the preexisting elements of the music industry
into a cohesive, popular whole. He introduced revolutionary choreography and styles into the
industry that raised the bar for all those involved in the music industry, which can been seen in
much of his work still be imitated contemporaneously. In doing so he was able to combat negative
racial stereotypes that had preciously affect him and black performers in general. Thus, not only did
Michael Jacksons music videos revolutionise, and continue to influence the music industry, and
subsequently dance history, they also significantly affected society in general.

Bibliography
Books
1.

J. Randy Taraborelli, Michael Jackson The Magic the Madness (Birch Lane Press Book, New York, 1991)

Thomas Stevenson - 30134329

2.

Michael Heatley, Michael Jackson 1958 2009 Life of a Legend (Headline Publishing Group, London, 2009)

Newspaper Articles
3.
4.

Barnes, Brooks A Star Idolized and Haunted, Michael Jackson dies at 50, New York Times (25 June 2009)
Chu Daniel, Rowes Barbar Michael Peters is the hot new choreographer who makes dancers out of rock

5.
6.
7.

stars. People Magazine. Volume 21. Number 25 (25 June 1984)

Connelly, Christopher Album Reviews: Michael Jacksons Thriller, Rolling Stone (28 January 1983)
Day, Patrick Kevin, Martens Todd, 25 Thriller Facts The Los Angeles Times (12 February 2008)
Dunning, Jennifer Michael Peters, A Choreographer of Dreamgirls, is dead at 46, New York Times (1
September 1994)

Video Resources
8.

Behind the scenes of the making of Beat It Rare. Online video clip. YouTube (6 September 2010) accessed

9.

at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tqO37PMNf0
Lady Gaga Born This Way. Online video Clip. YouTube (3 October 2012) Accessed at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV1FrqwZyKw
10. Michael Jackson Beat It. Online Video

Clip.

YouTube.

(11 April

2011)

accessed

at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRdxUFDoQe0
11. Michael Jackson Thriller . Online Video Clip. YouTube. (3 October 2009) Accessed at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izS67QTVAjk
12. Michael Jackson Thriller Making Of Part 1 (rehearsal) Online Video Clip. Youtube. (2 September 2009)
Accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlMJgVakm1c
13. Katy Perry Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) Online Video Clip. YouTube (12 June 2011) accessed at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlyXNRrsk4A