“The Fans of Michael Jackson v Wade Robson and James Safechuck”: Forensic Fandom and the Staging of a Media Tribunal

This essay analyses fan reactions to the sexual abuse allegations brought forward against Michael Jackson in Leaving Neverland ( Dan Reed, 2019 ). In particular, it focuses on fans’ production of nonfiction media produced in defense of Jackson, trying to restore the artist’s reputation by discrediting his accusers. Based on textual and content analysis of videos by The Michael Jackson Innocent Project (MJIP) and its wider network, this essay positions these videos within the context of documentaries and nonfiction programs produced on the singer. Arguing that the videos represent a form of “forensic fandom,” the essay maintains that fans stage a “media tribunal” against Jackson’s accusers to defend the singer. Because of their biased argumentation, however, fans reinforce myths about disingenuous allegations of sexual violence.

30 anos de Black or White: discussões interculturais através das alasa kanyas da dança indiana Odissi no videoclipe de Michael Jackson

Neste artigo propomos refletir sobre o tema da interculturalidade prenunciado no videoclipe Black or White, de Michael Jackson, em 1991, colocando-o em perspectiva com discussões interculturais no contexto das artes da cena na atualidade. Apesar do formato de “revista” adotado pelo videoclipe, em suas sucessivas cenas de danças de diferentes culturas, notamos que as escolhas referentes à dança Odissi têm, todas elas, propósitos bem definidos e interlocução com a letra da música, cabendo, portanto, uma análise dessas escolhas, especialmente das alasa kanyas. Esta percepção nos leva a argumentar a favor do pioneirismo do videoclipe que, na década de 1990, prenunciou o debate sobre interculturalidade, movimento das artes cênicas que se amplia a partir dos anos 1970, e equidade atualmente em pauta em esfera social mais ampla, bem como possíveis diferenças de leituras entre gerações.

Examining personification in songs as one of the English teaching materials

This research aims to figure out the types of personification used in one of the famous albums namely Michael Jackson's Thriller and Invincible. The sources of data were 19 songs taken from Thriller and Invincible albums by Michael Jackson and the lyrics of the songs. The research design used was descriptive qualitative research with documentation analysis as the technique of data collection. The result showed that there were 65 personification expressions found in the albums. Those 65 personifications were categorized into four types of personification as proposed by Dorst et al. (2011) namely: conventionalized personification (33 expressions), novel personification (20 expressions), default personification (12 expressions), and personification-with-metonymy (0 expressions). The idea of conventionalized personification presents in the lyrics is to dig out the beauty and tranquility of nature to life. It also might address giving an object or animal-human characteristics to create interesting imagery to the ELT Students. Also, these songs are assumed as one of the various English materials in language teaching in the future since it has no sarcasm and motivating contexts throughout the lyrics themselves.

Les Enfants perdus de Neverland (Quelques considérations sur J. M. Barrie, Peter Pan et… Michael Jackson)

"The Lost Children of Neverland (Considerations about J. M. Barrie, Peter Pan and... Michael Jackson). This paper proposes a journey into the childhood and youth of J. M. Barrie (the death of an older brother, the relationship with his grieving mother, his unusual marriage), trying to discover the psychoanalitical events that led to the birth of Peter Pan, as well as the true dimensions of his phantasy universe. And nonetheless the surprising influence that this universe had over such an unusual character called Michael Jackson. Keywords: Peter Pan, psychosis, fantasy, children, Michael Jackson. "

Christopher Wheeldon

In 2000, English-born Christopher Wheeldon became the first artist-in-residence at New York City Ballet (NYCB). The press compared his choreography to George Balanchine’s. This chapter discusses Wheeldon’s critically acclaimed NYCB ballet Polyphonia (2001) in relation to the “thick narrative” of the company’s history. It argues that Wheeldon’s collaborations with NYCB dancers Wendy Whelan and Jock Soto, in Polyphonia and other works, produced a unique aesthetic, one that transcended Balanchine’s neoclassical legacy. The chapter ends by considering how Wheeldon’s controversial decision to direct the Broadway musical about Michael Jackson is not out of character, but emblematic of his propensity to embrace the role of an outsider, who works to understand the unfamiliar and who surpasses what is expected of him.

Akram Khan and English National Ballet

This chapter examines the development of Akram Khan’s choreographic pathway as an aggregate of diverse influences, primarily experienced through issues of identity, otherness, and interculturalism. Beginning with the early confusion of juxtaposing classical dance training in kathak and a fascination with Michael Jackson, Khan’s career has progressed, largely through an instinctive opportunism—absorbed from the “formless hunch” philosophy of early mentor, Peter Brook—and an ongoing fascination with the exploratory possibilities of collaboration through the hybrid mixing of dance disciplines to create his own style of mood movement. This process has taken Khan from the classical world of kathak, through contemporary dance, and back into another classical discipline, ballet, with detours along the way into flamenco, the Olympics, and text-based physical theater. The chapter describes the impact of all these experiences on Khan’s contribution to modern ballet, particularly in his association with English National Ballet.