There are some pretty iconic dances out there, but Michael Jackson’s moonwalk has to be the most well-known of them all.
We’ve seen thousands of takes on the classic move over the years, some better than others. It’s a difficult move to master, after all, and one that only true dance professionals can perfect.
That’s why we’re surprised that one of the most recent flawless renditions didn’t come from a stage performance but from the streets of Paris!
The viral YouTube video, which amassed more than 11 million views, began with a man sitting on a stone bollard next to a bin.
As the opening notes of Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You” rang out, the man began to move. At first, he stays seated, pulling some impressive body-popping tricks. But as the song kicks in, he rises to his feet and begins to side-shuffle, moonwalk style.
Bystanders watch in awe as the man moonwalks with speed past traditional Parisian restaurants, maintaining a casual stance throughout.
At one point, he pretends to check the time on his wristwatch. At another, he puts his hands in his pockets and bows his head. Through it all, he looks like the spitting image of Michael Jackson!
As he reaches the end of his performance, he busts out a few more sassy moves, evoking laughter and raised eyebrows from the people around him.
He points to the camera and pulls a cheeky expression—this guy clearly knows he’s good! But who exactly is the mystery man moonwalking Paris’ streets? He’s too old to be a Michael Jackson re-incarnation, but he may as well be!
In fact, the dancer behind the moves is Salif Gueye, a French performer who has shot to fame since being discovered online.
In just under two years, Gueye has quite literally moonwalked to the top.
He has even made a TV appearance on The Ellen Show, which quickly went viral online.
Gueye is still based in Paris and regularly shares videos of himself pulling off more impressive Jackson-esque dance moves to his two million-strong fan base on Instagram.
Of course, being an international star, Gueye now dances in some much more impressive locations.
He’s promoted the recent NBA game in Paris, performed on the French versions of Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing with the Stars. He has even offered dance lessons to Will Smith’s daughter Jada. Now that’s impressive!
Michael Jackson is known as the King of Pop, and one of the greatest stage performers of all time. When he died, in June 2009, it was a sad time for fans who thought they’d never experience performances like Jackson’s again.
While there is no replacing the legend, dancers like Gueye have managed to replicate Jackson’s moves so well that his memory lives on.
Gueye clearly has a lot of respect for Jackson, captioning one of his latest Instagram videos:
“THIS ONE ☝🏿 IS FOR YOU MIKE @michaeljackson THANKS TO INSPIRED THE WORLD 🌍 AND THE GENERATIONS YOU ARE AND WILL STILL BE THE BEST ENTERTAINER EVER ❤️”
We certainly think that with his impressive moonwalking moves, Gueye is more than doing Jackson proud.
If you’re going to Paris any time soon, be sure to keep an eye out for Gueye busting a move on the boulevard!
Be sure to watch the entire performance in the link below:
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