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Crossover and Commercial Dance: Race, Class and Capitalism on The Jacksons Variety Show

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 February 2025

Elizabeth June Bergman Open the ORCID record for Elizabeth June Bergman [Opens in a new window]
Elizabeth June Bergman*
Affiliation:
Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States
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Abstract

This article argues that “crossover”– a recording artist's movement across the racialized boundaries of commercial music genres and the attainment of a broader consumer base– is central to the history and production logic of the U.S. commercial dance industry. By framing the televised variety show The Jacksons (1976–1977) as a formative production experience for Michael and Janet Jackson and situating it within a genealogy of popular dance on commercial television, I examine how racial and class signifiers were used to appeal to different demographics, highlighting the historical lineages and capitalist foundations of the U.S. commercial dance industry.

Keywords

commercial dancecrossoverdance on televisionpopular danceU.S. commercial dance industryThe Jacksons variety show
Type
Article
Information
Dance Research Journal , Volume 56 , Issue 1 , April 2024 , pp. 56 - 75
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Dance Studies Association

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References

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