Happy 30th, MJ Moonwalk!

I was born about 8 years after the Motown 25 performance but that didn’t make it any less awesome when I finally watched it in my teens. On this day back in 1983, the world witnessed Michael Jackson perform the moonwalk, a move that went on to become one of his many trademarks. By then, most people knew it wasn’t Mike’s move (and he never claimed ownership, citing a variety of different influences) but those few magical seconds catapulted him into further stardom (there were claims that Thriller went on to sell a million a week after the performance). Since that night, the whole routine for Billie Jean became a staple in his tours, where the moonwalk was perfected, made longer and extended to incorporate the “proper” moonwalk: gliding in a circular motion.

But semantics aside, watch the Motown 25 performance below and if you can contain yourself, watch the collection of Michael Jackson’s moonwalks through the ages above.