Scientists reveal the secret behind Michael Jackson’s gravity defying tilt in “Smooth Criminal”

Remember Michael Jackson’s gravity defying epic 45 degree forward tilt during his “Smooth Criminal” performance. A number of fans and dancers tried to copy the move but none could have managed to copy the king of pop’s iconic dance move.

Scientists have revealed that the performance was a clever illusion invented by the pop star himself. A team of neurosurgeons has cracked the mystery behind the apparently impossible feat.
It was revealed by three surgeons in the Journal of Neurosurgery that Michael Jackson designed a special shoe which had a triangular slot in the heel which was hooked into a metallic peg coming up from the floor of the stage at the right moment of performance. That allowed him to lean forward at a seemingly most impossible angle without collapsing. But it was all possible because Jackson did have very good core strength.

It was also told in the report that, “Even with specially designed footwear and the support of the hitch member, the move is incredibly hard to pull off, requiring athletic core strength from strengthened spinal muscles and lower-limb anti-gravity muscles”.

Before this especially designed footwear Michael had relied on supporting cables and a harness around his waist to create the illusion.

“Trick or not, new forms of dancing inspired by MJ have begun to challenge our understanding of the modes and mechanisms of spinal injury”, write scientists in their piece of research also adding to it that, “Ever since MJ entertained us with his fabulous moves, throughout the world dancers have tried to jump higher, stretch farther, and turn faster than ever before.”