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.
The Secret Behind Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” Move
