90s | 80s

Michael Jackson Dance Moves We All Tried (And Failed) To Copy

By Moojan |

uproxx

Prince Jackson, Michael Jackson’s 20 year old son, recently admitted he doesn’t have an ounce of his father’s dancing talent—making him just like most of us.

The King of Pop passed away in 2009, but he left a legacy that will be remembered for generations to come.

Let’s take a look at the entertaining legend’s iconic dance moves we all attempted at some point in our lives.

The Kick

MJ loved this dance move so much he incorporated it into most of his dance routines. You’ll have to slow down the video to really see which directions his leg is going, but once you do, it won’t stop being magical.

Toe Stand

This signature move looks painful and graceful at the same time. When he performed Billie Jean at Motown 25 for the first time, he was frustrated at himself for not being able to maintain his balance long enough. Yet, he made history with that show.

The Robot

Another Michael Jackson dance move that may prove he’s not from this planet!

He could even do the robot back in 1975!

The MJ Spin

Did Jackson take ballet lessons? That's no ordinary spin, it could be classified as a 'human' tornado.

Keep moving along! We still haven't reached the most famous move of all.  

The Anti-Gravity Lean

When you saw this for the first time, you were probably certain that Michael Jackson was some form of deity. Jackson did not defy the laws of gravity, he wore a pair of specially designed shoes that allowed him to recreate his gravity-defying lean on stage.

The lean that was first seen in the 1987 video for Smooth Criminal was achieved through the use of special effects.

The Crotch Grab (Ow!)

The infamous pelvic thrust raised some eyebrows, but it went on to become one of Jackson’s trademark dance moves. Perhaps gangster rappers learned a thing or two from the King.

The Thriller Dance

Perhaps the most iconic dance music video in the world, Thriller is still attempted to this day. Fun fact: The largest Thriller dance was achieved by more than 13,000 participants in Mexico City.

The Moonwalk

He makes this move look effortless, but it’s by far one of the hardest dance moves to emulate. Jackson glides on the stage as if he’s walking backwards on water.

Which one of these dance moves have you tried?

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