Gensheimer: King of Pop, Dean of Dance

I never was a major fan of Michael Jackson, and it was probably because I didn’t know much… I never was a major fan of Michael Jackson, and it was probably because I didn’t know much about him.

However, on the day after his death, when MTV played his music videos around the clock, I became glued to the TV. For some odd reason, I couldn’t tear myself away.

Was it his ever-changing face? Was it his style, which never lacked tight leather, a see-through white cotton shirt, glitter or metallic shine? Or was it the cinematic quality of his music videos, whose storylines amusingly eschewed any relevance to the lyrics?

It must have been a combination of these factors, along with the fact that nearly every song had a catchy tune that encouraged listeners to dance — especially when Jackson busted his own signature moves, many of which I tried as I watched him perform.

While his dancing, even the more freestyle type, appeared effortless, I found most of his moves nearly impossible to replicate. All his dance routines include footwork so intricate they’re not even worth an attempt.

A common move throughout his videos is the classic pelvic thrust, which works in tandem with any dramatic arm movement you can imagine.

In an upbeat jam like “Beat It,” you can thrust any which way to the beat, while placing one hand directly below the waste (I think you know where) to try to resemble the King of Pop.

Beware: The pelvic thrust itself, minus the more complicated additions, calls for one agile set of skinny hips, as well as having no shame when it comes to heaving your lower body toward a crowd, even if that “crowd” consists of only one person.

Jackson’s most popular move, the moonwalk, is even more difficult to emulate than the pelvic thrust, though millions have tried. This step first wowed the United States during Jackson’s live performance of “Billie Jean” in 1983. Since then, it’s made casual disco dancers look like fools for trying it.

Of course, we can’t forget about the “Thriller” dance routine, which requires extreme coordination and a real ability to swing your hips to the beat while your arms and feet each perform a separate series of moves.

I watched the music video and thought to myself, “If monsters and ghosts can handle this routine, then there’s no reason why I can’t.”

How naive I was to think that. The complexity of this dance makes me resort to more basic moves, such as step-touching and clapping to the beat.

However, more dedicated Jackson wanna-bes have spent days learning this routine.

One blogger documented the process, writing, “I started by watching the actual music video multiple times, then brought it down to slow motion. After that, I broke it down even further and YouTubed it. They have some step-by-step videos.”

She said it took her a mere five days to learn the “Thriller” routine — the perfect activity to counter those languid summer days for the willing dancer.

Another great Jackson original groove that I, along with most others, can’t fathom mastering is the robot.

In the early ’70s, the Jackson 5 released a song called “Dancing Machine,” which popularized the robot. Like the moonwalk, most who try this dance end up a maladroit mess.

In fact, I don’t know that any members of the Jackson 5, aside from Michael, could do the robot, either.

In the video for “Dancing Machine,” Michael is the only one who busts the move, while the others stand behind him, idly performing background dances.

After trying and failing to imitate Jackson’s most basic moves, I have a newfound appreciation for him. He could make his body move unlike any other performer.

To some, Jackson will be remembered for his peculiarities: his love for childish amusement parks and his outlandish facial surgeries.

Allegations of sexually abusing children forever marred his image, but media speculation, rumors and his eccentric antics shouldn’t overshadow what he contributed to the realm of pop music.

Jackson’s dance moves have influenced pop artists and aspiring dancers alike since the beginning of his career. Those moves will continue to influence them as long as Jackson’s hits still play — which should be a long time, considering seven out of 10 albums sold on iTunes the day of his death belonged to him.

In his short lifetime, Jackson held an unprecedented number of hits and album sales, and, along with his energetic dancing, this is what the world should remember about him.

He left a legacy that other entertainers might never match — at least not on the dance floor.

Though Jackson had to die for me to really pay attention to his true talent, I learned that Jackson’s dancing is clearly characterized by his songs: “Thriller,” “Off the Wall” and maybe even a little “Dangerous.”

E-mail Alie at alg62@pitt.edu.