The Secret Behind Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” Move
For decades viewers have watched Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” leaning dance move in awe. The “biomechanically impossible” act (which Jackson debuted in 1987) has the dancer leaning at a remarkable 45-degree angle—from the ankle—all the while keeping his body straight. No bending at the knees, nor the hips, it was (and remains) a beguiling sight. Unveiling the magic, however, neurosurgeons at Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh say Jackson made it possible thanks to his immense core strength and some fancy shoes. “A v-shaped slit in the bottom of each heel of his spats slotted onto a strong nail or ‘hitch member’ driven into the ground, allowing the dancer to pivot and lean further forward, for the gravity-defying move.” Read more at BBC.
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