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((Short description|Book by Michael Jackson))
((Infobox book
| name         = Dancing the Dream
| title_orig   = 
| translator   = 
| image        = Dancingdream.jpg
| image_size = 200px
|alt=Front cover of book showing a man under a spotlight in front of metal stairs. He wears black trousers, a black shirt and a black fedora. Under his shirt is a white T shirt, which matches the color of his socks, right armband and right arm brace. The man is striking a pose: legs apart and to the left, he looks down to the ground, as his braced right hand holds his hat atop his head. His left hand covers his crotch.
| author       = [[Michael Jackson]]
| cover_artist = 
| country      = United States
| language     = English
| series       = 
| subject      = Poems, reflections
| genre        = [[Poetry]]
| publisher    = [[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday]]
| release_date = June 18, 1992
| media_type   = 
| pages        = 148
| isbn         = 978-0-385-42277-2
| dewey        = 818/.5409 20
| congress     = ML420.J175 A3 1992
| oclc         = 25248203
| preceded_by  = [[Moonwalk (book)|Moonwalk]]
| followed_by  = 
))
'''''Dancing the Dream''''' is a 1992 [[book]] of poems and reflections written by American singer and recording artist [[Michael Jackson]], his second book following his 1988 autobiography ''[[Moonwalk (book)|Moonwalk]]''. The book also contains an assortment of around 100&nbsp;photographs of Jackson.

''Dancing the Dream'' was published by [[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday]] on June 18, 1992, seven months after the release of Jackson's 1991 ''[[Dangerous (Michael Jackson album)|Dangerous]]'' album. It was not a significant commercial success. The book was reissued by the British publisher [[Transworld (company)|Transworld]] on July 27, 2009, following [[Death of Michael Jackson|Jackson's death]] the previous month on June 25, 2009.

==Content==
Jackson dedicated ''Dancing the Dream'' "with love" to his mother [[Katherine Jackson|Katherine]], and the book has an [[introduction (essay)|introduction]] written by his longtime friend [[Elizabeth Taylor]].<ref name="campbell 324">Campbell (1993), p. 324</ref><ref name="jackson 1992">((cite book|title=Dancing the Dream|last=Jackson|first=Michael|year=1992|publisher=Doubleday|location=New York City|isbn=978-0-385-42277-2))</ref>

The volume consists of 46 pieces of poetry and essays. The subjects Jackson writes about are primarily children, animals and the environment. For example, one specific poem titled "Look Again, Baby Seal" promotes environmentalism as Jackson imagines [[anthropomorphic]] seals who brood about the fate of being killed by hunters. Another poem ("So the Elephants March") presents elephants that refuse to be killed in order for [[ivory]] pieces to be made from their tusks. A third piece ("Mother Earth") describes a struggle to cope with the discovery of an oil-covered seagull feather. To stress the theme of environmentalism and the necessity for action, Jackson writes in the essay, "We've been treating Mother Earth the way some people treat a rental apartment. Just trash it and move on."<ref name="campbell 324"/>

Jackson also writes about the degree to which the 1990 death of the [[AIDS]] sufferer [[Ryan White]] affected him in a poem titled after the youth, and as he presents in the poem, Jackson believes the teenage boy suffered through general ignorance of the disease.<ref name="campbell 324"/><ref>((cite web|title=Ryan White Dies of AIDS at 18; His Struggle Helped Pierce Myths|date=April 9, 1990|author=Johnson, Dirk|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE1DB123AF93AA35757C0A966958260 |access-date=March 14, 2010))</ref> The poem "Mother" was written for his mother Katherine, whom Jackson loved deeply.<ref name="campbell 325">Campbell (1993), p. 325</ref> In one stanza Jackson writes, "No matter where I go from here/You're in my heart, mother dear."<ref name="campbell 325"/> The poem had previously been published by his mother in her 1990 autobiography ''My Family'', and was not the only material in ''Dancing the Dream'' to have appeared elsewhere. The poems "Dancing the Dream" (titled as "The Dance") and "[[Planet Earth (Michael Jackson poem)|Planet Earth]]" were included in the sleeve notes for Jackson's 1991 ''[[Dangerous (Michael Jackson album)|Dangerous]]'' album (and in its 2001 special edition re-release). Furthermore, the lyrics to the songs "[[Will You Be There]]" and "[[Heal the World]]" — also from the 1991 album — were included in ''Dancing the Dream''.<ref name="campbell 325"/> A spoken version of the poem "Planet Earth" appeared on the 2009 posthumous album ''[[Michael Jackson's This Is It (album)|This Is It]]''.

''Dancing the Dream'' includes approximately 100 photographs. Some photographs had been previously published, such as those that were published in the 1985 Jackson calendar, and others that had been published in magazines such as ''[[Ebony (magazine)|Ebony]]'' and ''[[People (magazine)|People]]''. Furthermore, the volume includes photographs converted from stills of Jackson's [[music videos]] such as "[[Black or White]]" (1991) and "[[Remember the Time]]" (1992).<ref name="campbell 324"/> Jackson commissioned artwork for ''Dancing the Dream'' from Nate Giorgio and [[David Nordahl]], whom Jackson met in the 1980s and with whom he subsequently developed a professional relationship.<ref>((cite news|title=Vestal native's artwork to be the cover of Michael Jackson tribute book|last=Moyer|first=William|date=November 29, 2009|work=[[Press & Sun-Bulletin]]))</ref>

== Poems & Essays ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| ''Dancing the Dream'' || ''[[Planet Earth (Michael Jackson poem)|Planet Earth]]'' || ''Magical Child Part 1'' || ''Wings Without Me''
|-
| ''Dance of Life'' || ''When Babies Smile'' || ''But the Heart Said No'' || ''Children of the World''
|-
| ''So the Elephants March'' || ''The Boy and the Pillow'' || ''Enough for Today'' || ''Mark of the Ancients''
|-
| ''[[Heal the World]]'' || ''Children'' || ''Mother'' || ''Magic''
|-
| ''The Fish That Was Thirsty'' || ''Innocence'' || ''Trust'' || ''Courage''
|-
| ''Love'' || ''God'' || ''How I Make Music'' || ''[[Ryan White]]''
|-
| ''The Elusive Shadow'' || ''On Children of the World'' || ''Two Birds'' || ''The Last Tear''
|-
| ''Ecstasy'' || ''Berlin 1989'' || ''Mother Earth'' || ''Wise Little Girl''
|-
| ''I You We'' || ''Angel of Light'' || ''I Searched for My Star'' || ''A Child Is a Song''
|-
| ''Child of Innocence'' || ''[[Will You Be There]]'' || ''Magical Child Part 2'' || ''Are You Listening?''
|-
| ''Breaking Free'' || ''Once We Were There'' || ''Heaven Is Here'' || ''Quantum Leap''
|-
| ''That One in the Mirror'' || ''Look Again, Baby Seal''
|}

==Publication history==
''Dancing the Dream'' was first published on June 18, 1992, by Doubleday.<ref>First-printing numbers for ''Dancing the Dream'' were however not issued by Doubleday.</ref>((,))<ref>Grant (2009), p. 149</ref> It followed Jackson's 1988 autobiography ''Moonwalk'', which was also published by the American company. Prior to publication, ''Dancing the Dream'' was hailed by the publishers as a book that would "take us deep into [Jackson's] heart and soul", as well as "an inspirational and passionate volume of unparalleled humanity".<ref>((cite web|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/56200514.html?dids=56200514:56200514&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+29%2C+1992&author=David+Landis&pub=USA+TODAY+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=BENNY+TRIBUTE&pqatl=google|title=Benny tribute|last=Landis|first=David|date=April 29, 1992|work=[[USA Today]]|format=Payment required to access full article|access-date=December 6, 2009))<br>- ((cite web|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BG&p_theme=bg&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EADDF882AA95F3A&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=Names and faces a first for Chris Evert|last=Blowen|first=Michael|date=October 14, 1991|work=[[The Boston Globe]]|format=Payment required to access full article|access-date=February 2, 2010))<br>- ((cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_hQxGHrtDC0C&q=%22michael+jackson%22+%22dancing+the+dream%22&pg=PT25|title=Spin patrol|date=July 1992|work=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|access-date=March 8, 2010))</ref> In his only interview to promote ''Dancing the Dream'', Jackson described the book as being "just a verbal expression of what I usually express through my music and my dance."<ref>((cite web|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/24343320.html?dids=24343320:24343320&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+16%2C+1992&author=Glenn+Plaskin%2C+Tribune+Media+Services.&pub=Chicago+Tribune+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Determined+to+dream+An+effusive+Michael+Jackson+doesn't+dance+all+around+his+idealism&pqatl=google|title=Determined to dream An effusive Michael Jackson doesn't dance all around his idealism|last=Plaskin|first=Glenn|date=August 16, 1992|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|format=Payment required to access full article.|access-date=March 26, 2010))((Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes ))</ref> After his death on June 25, 2009, the British company Transworld reissued the book the following month on July 27, 2009.<ref>((cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/jul/07/first-instant-jackson-biography|title=First 'instant' Jackson biography hits shelves in China|last=Pauli|first=Michelle|date=July 7, 2009|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=November 14, 2009))</ref>

A representative for Doubleday (Marly Rusoff) revealed in March 1993 that the company shipped 133,000 copies of the book, and took around 80,000 returns and 3000 reorders. Thus, the project was close to 60% down in total sales. Rusoff stated that the commercial performance of ''Dancing the Dream'' was low because an anticipated Jackson tour of the United States never occurred. He commented, "The reviews—and there were some—were rather discouraging. He did do a Europe tour and the British edition did quite well. This kind of book depends on celebrity visibility."<ref name="The crying game: when the public doesn't share publishers' enthusiasm">((cite web|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-13566433/crying-game-public-doesnt.html|title=The crying game: when the public doesn't share publishers' enthusiasm|last=Mantell|first=Suzanne|date=March 1, 1993|work=[[Publishers Weekly]]|access-date=April 19, 2010))</ref>

Suzanne Mantell of ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' felt that ''Dancing the Dream'' did not create the "important buzz that gives a book a life and saves it from cultural oblivion ... Jackson may draw an audience of 65 million when he appears on Oprah, but the consensus among booksellers is that bookbuyers don't care, and that this one was a dog."<ref name="The crying game: when the public doesn't share publishers' enthusiasm" />

During a Simulchat in 1995, Jackson stated, "I wrote a book called ''Dancing the Dream''. It was more autobiographical than ''Moonwalk'', which I did with Mrs. [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis|Onassis]]. It wasn't full of gossip and scandal and all that trash that people write, so I don't think people paid much attention to it, but it came from my heart. It was essays, thoughts and things that I've thought about while on tour."<ref>[http://www.thesilencedtruth.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=125:1995-august-17-simulchat-tv-interview&catid=38:interview&Itemid=72 "Simulchat" T.V. interview, August 17, 1995]</ref>

==Notes==
((Reflist|colwidth=30em))

==References==
* ((cite book|last=Andersen|first=Christopher P.|title=Michael Jackson: unauthorized|publisher=Simon & Schuster|year=1994|isbn=0-671-89239-8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZIifAAAAMAAJ&q=michael+jackson+unauthorized))
* ((cite book|last=Campbell|first=Lisa|title=Michael Jackson: The King of Pop|publisher=Branden|year=1993|isbn=0-8283-1957-X|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BVC9zltjf-EC&q=michael+jackson+campbell))
* ((cite book|last=Grant|first=Adrian|title=Michael Jackson: The Visual Documentary|publisher=Omnibus Press|year=2009|isbn=978-1-84938-261-8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=efUTAQAAIAAJ&q=the+visual+documentary))
* ((cite book|last=Pinkerton|first=Lee|title=The Many Faces of Michael Jackson|publisher=Music Sales Distribution |year=1998|isbn=0-7119-6783-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZY-Xdb775vgC&q=the+many+faces+of+michael+jackson))

== Working references ==
* ((cite web |url=http://www.booktrade.info/index.php/showarticle/22006 |title=Doubleday To Reissue Michael Jackson's Own Book, Dancing The Dream |date=July 6, 2009 |website=Booktrade.info |access-date=20 April 2010 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171427/http://www.booktrade.info/index.php/showarticle/22006 |url-status=dead ))
* ((cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/michael-jackson/6136376/Michael-Jackson-finally-laid-to-rest-in-Los-Angeles.html |title=Michael Jackson finally laid to rest in Los Angeles |author=Coleman, Mark |date=September 4, 2009 |work=Telegraph.com |publisher=Telegraph Media Group |access-date=April 20, 2010))
* ((cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/jul/07/first-instant-jackson-biography |title=First 'instant' Jackson biography hits shelves in China |author=Pauli, Michele |date=July 7, 2009 |work=The Guardian |access-date=April 20, 2010))
* ((cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/michael-jackson/5659778/Michael-Jackson-death-by-showbusiness.html |title= Michael Jackson, death by showbusiness:In 1992, Michael Jackson published a slim volume of "poems and reflections" entitled Dancing The Dream.|author=Brown, Mick |date=June 27, 2009 |work=Daily Telegraph |access-date=April 20, 2010))
* ((cite web |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/Jackson-was-pure-childlike-Deepak-Chopra/articleshow/4707965.cms |title= Jackson was pure, childlike: Deepak Chopra|author=Chopra, Deepak |date=June 28, 2009 |work= Times of India|access-date=April 20, 2010))

==External links==
((Portal|Books|Poetry))
* [http://www.michaeljackson.com/ Michael Jackson's official website]
* [http://davidnordahl.com/ David Nordahl's official website]
* [http://www.nategiorgio.com/ Nate Giorgio's official website]
* [http://www.michaeljacksonenterprise.com/ Official Michael Jackson products for sale]


((Michael Jackson))

((DEFAULTSORT:Dancing The Dream))
[[Category:Works about Michael Jackson]]
[[Category:1992 poetry books]]
[[Category:1992 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:American poetry collections]]
[[Category:Books by Michael Jackson]]
[[Category:Doubleday (publisher) books]]
[[Category:Books of photographs]]
[[Category:African-American poetry]]

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