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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
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.
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- Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Dance Studies Association
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