The film at a glance
The full short film includes a story, the zombie dance, and closing scenes. It is longer than the dance alone.
- Film year
- 1983
- Choreography
- Michael Peters and Michael Jackson
- Director
- John Landis
- MTV premiere
- December 2, 1983
- Official online film
- 13 minutes, 42 seconds, including the story and credits
- National Film Registry
- Selected in 2009
Sources: the Library of Congress film record and the Television Academy's MTV debut history.
Who created the Thriller dance?
Michael Peters and Michael Jackson share the choreography credit. John Landis directed the film and wrote it with Jackson. These are the credits in the Library of Congress record.
Watch the group as well as the lead. Shared timing makes the bent knees, shoulder accents, arm shapes, and turns read as one zombie dance.
Watch the original Thriller dance
This official upload is also on MichaelJackson.com. It opens at 8:40, inside the zombie dance scene. That is a viewing point, not the exact start of the routine.
Want the lead-in? Thriller San Diego suggests about 8:25 in the full official video. Start there to see the transition, or use the player below to land inside the group choreography. A shortened upload will have a different clock.
The official short film, starting at 8:40 in the zombie dance. Use the controls to watch the full 13:42 video.
By Michael Jackson · Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab) ↗
What to look for
- Use a wide shot to watch the feet and changes of direction.
- Follow one body part: shoulders first, then arms, then knees and feet.
- Compare the timing of Jackson and the people behind him.
- Notice the cuts. A close-up can hide a step that the dancers keep doing.
For slow, step-by-step teaching, use our Thriller dance tutorial.
The original film and the teaching version
A class may teach a version made for a group event. Thrill The World says its dancers perform a modified version. Its eight lessons start with Zombie March and end with Stomp. These are teaching labels, not official chapters of the film. See the source lessons.
| Video | What you see | Use it to |
|---|---|---|
| The original film | Jackson and the zombie group, with story scenes and cuts | See the source performance and timing |
| Thrill The World lessons | A modified routine in eight teaching parts | Learn a group version step by step |
| An AI edit | A new person or character in a dance clip | See an editing style |
Our eight-lesson tutorial follows Thrill The World's teaching order. If your class uses another version, follow that teacher's sequence.
The organizer's policies compare a two-to-three-minute dance section in the original video with a six-minute event routine. Those are approximate routine lengths, not the 13:42 film runtime. Our Thriller dance version guide helps you choose the matching lessons and music.
Why the dance fits Halloween
Look at the night street, monster makeup, worn clothes, and zombie group in the film. They give dancers a clear Halloween look. Jackson's red jacket makes the lead easy to spot. These are details you can see in the original video.
The film also became the first music video selected for the National Film Registry, in 2009. Read the selection announcement and the Library's follow-up.
Real performances and AI edits
A real performance shows people doing the steps. An AI edit can use a photo to change who appears to dance. It does not prove that person performed the routine. Our character swap guide explains the difference.
To perform it yourself, use the Thriller move finder. To compare how a different person or pet could lead, explore the creator references on Thriller Dance AI. Those clips illustrate the planned styles; our own photo-to-video creation is coming soon.
Sources for this guide
- MichaelJackson.com: Thriller — the official video page.
- Library of Congress: Michael Jackson's thriller — the film's year and production credits.
- Television Academy: Thriller's MTV debut — the December 2, 1983 broadcast date.
- Library of Congress: 2009 selections — the film's registry selection.
- Library of Congress: January/February 2010 bulletin — its first-music-video status.
- Thrill The World: Choreography — eight lessons and the modified-version notice.
Choose your dance look
See the dance with a different lead
Once you know which version you want, compare the creator references on Thriller Dance AI. Solo focuses on one person, Group is planned for two or three people, and Pets uses a stylized cat or dog that stands and moves like a person.
Watch the examples and check the photo tips. Photo uploads and video creation are coming soon.