Pop King’s Patent – The Lean Against Gravity

This post was first published on 23rd March, 2011.

Michael Jackson will always be remembered as the King of pop and will always remain the greatest entertainer of all time. He thrilled everybody with his superb innovative dancing skills and inspired people to innovate their own unique style. He rollicked with his Moonwalk in Smooth Criminal. The moonwalk was earlier known as backslide, but it was Michael Jackson who made it famous after performing it in his song “Billie Jean”. People started considering him a superstar even before his first mega hit “Thriller” was released in 1982. He was honoured by being inducted into the dance hall of fame. He set various fashion trends from one glove to white socks.

A move called Anti-gravity lean performed in the song “Smooth Criminal” seems to be impossible to exhibit. Initially, people baffled it as illusion but later when he performed live, people believed the impossible act. Many people still wonder how Michael Jackson ever performed his anti-gravity lean. And it’s quite amazing to know that MJ was much more talented than just being a singer, dancer and artist.

Jackson while performing some of his skilful dance step was rigged with harness and cable which restricted him to move freely in front of audience while performing live. In order to overcome this problem, he co-invented and patented (US5255452) “method and means for creating anti-gravity illusion” in 1993, a unique shoe which allows the wearer to lean forward beyond their centre of gravity by hitching a rod projecting through a stage surface. The bottom of the shoes have a special slot cut out so that wearer would seem to defy gravity, while really just hanging on by a peg protruding from the stage floor that inserts into the cut out slit in the bottom of the performer’s shoes. It has special loafers fitted with heels that can slot into the stage floor to allow the wearer to lean forward, Smooth Criminal style, at gravity-defying angles.

Jackson is no more but his music will never die. The legacy of the Legend will keep inspiring countless people indefinitely. This article is a tribute to the King of Pop.

Authored by Sanjiv Sharan