Lean Video :
Discover the secret behind the 45 degree lean in the Smooth Criminal video and in the live performance.
Michael Jackson and two of his costume designers obtained a US patent (US5255452) in 1993 on "Methods and Means for Creating Anti Gravity Illusion". The invention outlines how a special pair of shoes attaches to a stage to allow leaning forward beyond the centre of gravity of the wearer of the shoes. A case study of this patent is presented here.
Michael Jackson and two of his costume designers obtained a US patent (US5255452) in 1993 on "Methods and Means for Creating Anti Gravity Illusion". The invention outlines how a special pair of shoes attaches to a stage to allow leaning forward beyond the centre of gravity of the wearer of the shoes. A case study of this patent is presented here.
Background and Prior Art Interesting stage designs, lighting, fog generators, laser light shows, and large video screens have been used by music entertainers and dancers to enhance the appeal of their live and recorded performances.
In the past Michael Jackson had incorporated dance steps in his recorded video performances, wherein he and other dancers would lean forward beyond their center of gravity, thereby creating an impressive visual effect. In the video this effect was accomplished by the use of cables connecting a harness around the dancer's waist with hooks on a stage, thereby allowing the dancer to lean forward at the required degree.
However, since this requires stagehands to connect and then disconnect the cables, it has not been possible to use this system in live performances. Moreover, the cables obviously restricted arm and body movements.
Description of the Invention
The present invention overcomes the above noted deficiencies of the previously employed cable system by providing specialized footwear and
a moveable hitch or post to which the specialized footwear can be detachably engaged to, allowing the footwear wearer to lean forward on the stage, with his or her center of gravity well beyond the front of the shoes, thereby creating the desired visual effect. The hitch or post protrude upwardly through the stage platform at a predetermined time.
What to do:
- Watch the Video Carefully?
- What do you think about this secret illusion which was manytimes ignored by the peoples eyes.
69 comments:
i think is well thought..what ..you thought they could really do it without a trick??lool
cool!
I like cheese
i kind of get it do you mean thjat his shoes connect and lock on to the stage a a certain part and then reease or what???
Thats coolios, I want those shoes
I didn't really like Michael Jackson to begin with. But now I have a different kind of attitude toward him. I find some of his moves, actally, most of them, extremly difficult and unique. That's all I can really say about that. As for the locking shoes, I knew there was something more to that move besides being weird. :P
Well i think that it should be ignored because its only really a dance and it isn't something that you should really be bothered about.
WHO CARES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Very cool info, nice research, I always enjoy the trade secrets of entertainment. Great job.
That's actually pretty cool.
Who cares? It is a show, and that is part of the show. People stop wasting your time on stupid stuff like this.
It still seems like it would be hard to do. How do they pull themselves back up?
Thanks for the article and movie.
It still seem like a neat trick. Although I can see how they did not fall forward, how do they return upright?
Thanks for the article and putting the movie up.
blow me
blowme
whats that song called?! not the song at the begining but the one it fades into toward the end?
OMG. Are you serious. And here I thought he was a fricken alien with magical powers.
Shit my world just got turned upside down buddy. Thanks alot
Cheers ;)
Interesting...now I see how Michael was able to lower himself to the height of small children.
Mike looks sooooo hot! im 13 you think im too old for him?
this is an old trick.i can't believe they got a paten for a "borrowed" idea.vaudville anyone?
In reply to: "It still seem like a neat trick. Although I can see how they did not fall forward, how do they return upright?"
I would deem to suggest that perhaps the mechanism is motorised, and pull them back up again... It would take a lot of trust to rely on it - but it's very clever,
As for all the idiot commenters - please, shut up :)
And those who say they don't care - don't bother putting anything then!
It was an intriguing bit of background - thank you.
Hope to see more oddities in the future.
*eyes open* - Indigo.
That's really quite interesting. I always wondered how he did that.
Jake on 11:15:03 PM
It still seems like it would be hard to do. How do they pull themselves back up?
There's these things called leg muscles, that people who don't sit in front of their computers all day have. We can use these leg muscles to do really neat things sometimes!!
hahaha....wardrobe malfunction!
Oh say it isn't so, and next you tell us that was not really a stick of dyno-mite.
I KEEL ON YOU AND YOU FAMILY
it's the same song the whole time
I'm sure some may care, unless of course you have a life.
ummm..dunno...use some glue and stick your shoes to the ground and see if u can pull yourself up. I'm sure you can! But who figures MJ could think of neat tricks like this aside from tricks to get little boys.
I like what the morons say! Its funny to hear
that is some crappy sh*t
Oh, wow, that's pretty cool =)
and wtf are ur ppl's problem?! omg.. really, get a life.
That was not to you ppl who commented in a good way =)
i didn't know about that. yep you can almost see the dance trip over his feet
that is really something. its like waoh. to me.
Thanks for the info. I really hope MJ tours again.... he truly is the king of dance and innovation.
people leave comments to tell how they feel about something. IF THEY DON'T CARE, FINE THEY CAN SAY IT. people are also allowed to say stupid stuff or derogatory comments as long as they don't infringe on the rights of others. FIRST AMENDMENT. constitutions are nifty little critters.
i think it's kind of interesting in a completely pointless way. but interesting.
Ok...Let's just be serious here for just one second. They got a patent for 'fixing a pair of shoes to the floor'?!?
You can't be serious. I haven't applied for many patents, but even i know that one wouldn't be approved for this.
dang, hope i dont trip over something as useless as this online again.
Really neat,Michael is the king of pop and for all those who believe in all the media crap they call real life then S.T.F.U.Very cool Tho for whoever found this.
Wow! MJ is a true multifaceted entertainer!
Not only is he a turd-burglar extraordinaire of pre-teen boys, he also invented saddle oxfords! Tell me more!
Wow..
That is way , cool..
I have never seen that before :D
Tahnks , San..
How are you?
*hugs*
Wishing a wonderful week-end..
The only possible reasons for putting this useless information on here would be:
A: Entertainment - the commets sure are more than the original story about the shoes
B: Your a huge MJ fan who likes wasting his time
C: To show possible future employers what a good little web entry you can throw up here.
in which case I hope said future employers read the comments and see how utterly useless
your creation realy is in the eyes of your slack jawed audience.
I like your blog! Reminds me of psycology class.. I think you've pretty much beaten me.
You can see it when they get back up they drag their feet back and then keep dancing =)
lmao...
Wow I cannot beleive all of the insolent little pricks posting on this site...
Here's a fresh idea for you: If you don't have anything to say, don't post!
"eskimo" tried to atriculate a similar point but many people probably skipped over it because he does not know how to type or spell beyond the third grade level.
"hib" has set the example by making a useless post that doesn't convey any information other than the fact the he is an imbecile.
Replies like: "lmao" by {K} are completely pointless and do not add anything to the discussion, you should not be allowed to post anything because you are a down-tard.
To San (the author of this article): Nice research and I'm sorry that this site is diseased with stupidity. There is no reason to take seriously any of the negative comments made by these 9 year old children who should not be allowed to touch a keyboard.
thats really cool.. but is it really true?
That was fantastic and it's the first I have heard of it
I'd like to say... I like the moonwalk loader on the flash file!!
From what I can tell, the locking mechanism is in the heel, which would make it slightly easier to pull themselves back up, though it would still require a lot of strength in the lower leg (and back, to stay 'straight')...
I'd like to know though - if they just had to pull their heels onto a hook in the floor, why did they require a diversion and total darkness?
Good vid though and, erm, interesting debate
... Who cares??!!! Can you do it better?! HE IS AMAZING anyway.
And... this is an old new, but your explication is really good, thanks.
CU
http://reydelpop.blogspot.com
For all of you who believe the media crap then screw you all!!! Michael Jackson was the King Of Pop Music and perhaps he still remains the King for most of us....also i was really curious about that trick but all got cleared now thnx for posting this site.
-=Stunts=-
Hey Alex,yeah he is a biggest King of Pop,this post only clearing the trick which has been used on that show.
Maybe many people wanted to how that LEAN has been done.
Michael is the king and we are here to see his tricks because we are interested in it and for those who say they dont care, why are you even in this site " if you dont care". Another thing is that ifffff Michael is a child molester that is his life and i bet he regrets everything he did if he did it. We all commit mistakes and big ones, this is pretty big but compared to war and the lives lost this aint pretty much nothing. I personaly dont believe he did it. the mother of the kid was probably worried and got out of hand and thought about Michaels money and took advantage....
Smooth Criminal is the most amazing video I have ever watch in my life. And I always wonder how to lean 45 degrees forward. I though it was a wire, but it was not feasible in a live concert. Finally I get the secret now.
just before he leans forward his foot sort of clips/moves into position to lean forward look closely its his left foot MJ IS THE KING EVERYBODY SAYIN HES TIS THAT N THE OTHE DIE SLOW PLEASE :D
I find it interesting that Michael Jackson would take out a patent on this. I went through Ringling Brothers Clown College in 1984 and we were using these shoes back then. AND, they were already over 20 years old.
There are magicians that have done "tipsy-drunk" acts back in vaudeville that used the same shoes, so it is difficult to understand how MJ got a patent for these.
That was brilliant, I love you Michael Jackson.
I knew it was an illusion! I just wasn't sure what the secret to it was. On another forum an idiot was saying that with lots of practice, hard work and dedication it could be done! ROFL!!!
If you don't care about this move why the hell did you take the time to look it up on the net you retards?
The shoe-thing is true: watch the (for the audience) dancer at the right very closely at the end. His foot is stuck for a second because he didn't move back far enough. For a clearer view, check 3:56 in the youtube vid bUYD13W-oWs (just replace the vid code of any youtube vid with that one).
michael was always a genius him and his gifted entertainment skills were always an amazement only he could think of but as i digress i hope he is in a better place where he may dance on forever :) R.I.P. the king of pop always and forever...
Anni are u okay?So Annie r u ok?R u ok annie?
U've been hit by (BAM,BAM)
U've been struk by (BAM)
A Smooth Criminal
oh my god u bunch of tossers.
how the hell would you like it if your dad was being acused of child molestation and u and others know for sure he didn't do it. but your dad is in the papers being made to look like a monseter, and the police are being cruel and callous.
then it all goes to court and after 5 long months your dad is free, and it feels like a weight of your family's shoulders, but hey the world has tarnished your dad as a beast, and things are said that are just not true coz ' the media say's so. Don't forget this legend has died, he has children and your stupid and unthoughtfull comments are not what they need, they are children, grieving children and he was their dad.
you childish prats obviously are not loved, u have a lot of hate based on media and you need to take a look at the person in the mirror before you have the authoriy to judge anyone. grow up!!
I love Michael Jackson! His music inspires me to keep learning to learn how to dance. Some losers think that he's gone for good and he will never come back. But you no what his body might be gone but his music is still living!
Amy you may think Michael is the worst the weirdest and baddest but that's your choice but I and 3.5 million other people there's even more then that we all think you are wrong. NO IT WOULDN'T BE FUNNY FOR HIM TO FALL FLAT ON HIS FACE!!!! I mean what is you fell flat on your face and everyone would be laughing at you. I don't care what you say so BEAT IT!!!!!
michael jackson is and amazing man i love him to bits he is an absolute fanastic dancers and i didnt realise how he did the 45degrees lean since i watched the video properly i think its an amazing trick,.
love you Michael Jackson R.I.P
if michael didnt really do this trick on his own then explain how a 9 year old kid did it in the midddle of a classroom infront of a bunch of kids?? could he afford these shoes & wire. Maybe there is such an invention but i believe it can be done on your own too. like a headstand push up. not many people can do it but there are a few who do have the upper body strength.
I like what jeff said. We will kill you frankie jo bob, if you go on like that. Comment about his dance but not his personal life. Who can see anybody's life expect himself?
it's obvious it's magnets, if you look at his feet after he does the lean he is trying to move his feet but can't for a split second, I guess there is someone backstage turning the magnets on and off.
ugh im so freaking sick and tired of people calling Michael a child molester the man was innocent, completely 100% innocent. do you know why he paid $20 million dollars to the Chandler's, it wasnt to "buy the boys silence" like you nimrods think. When paid them that money it DID NOT stop the boy from testifying against Michael in the CRIMINAL trial. There were two cases Michael was having to deal with in 1993 the CIVIL and the CRIMINAL, If he had gone to court in the civil trial the prosecution would have been privy to Michael's defense strategy buy resolving the CIVIL he did not have to go to court for the CIVIL and reveal his defense to the prosecution(makes sense to me but then I have a brain) after the Civil was resolved the Criminal trial continued and Michael was NOT charged because there was NO EVIDENCE. Plus Jordan Chandler only made the allegations after his father gave him the drug sodium amytal(google it) then of course that same kid came out after Michael died and stated "For the first time I cant bare to lie anymore. Michael Jackson never did anything to me. It was all lies from my father to escape from being poor." As for the 2003 case all you have to do is research the Arvizo family to relize they are a bunch of crooks. The kids and mother first said Michael never did anything and he was kind, loving, ect....then as soon as the lawyer from the 1993 case entered the picture Larry Feldman(who won the Chandler's $20 million) the family changed their story drastically it was only when Larry Feldman came into the scene that these "sexual abuse allegations" came up. Why does it seem noone else can see the red flags about these supposed allegations??*grrrr* anyway i dont care if it was magnets, pullies, wires, whatever I LOVE MICHAEL and always will the man was amazing and I will defend him with my dying breath!!!
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