The Secret To Michael Jackson’s Gravity-Defying Lean Has Finally Been Revealed

We have mastered the moonwalk (ish), we have the crotch pull NAILED - but that lean. We just can't.  No matter how hard we try, we are just not smooth enough criminals. But now it turns out the the King of Pop himself had a little help achieving the iconic gravity-defying move. According to the Irish Mirror, it's all down to some pretty nifty custom-made shoes, complete with an "extending slot" at the bottom of the heel. The publication writes: "The slots could then extend at any given time and connect to a peg in the stage, keeping the shoe secure as Michael leaned forwards - supporting his own body as he did it." Apparently, the shoes were patented in 1992 under the names of Michael Jackson and Dennis Tompkins. While they certainly fooled us in the video and his many live performances, they did malfunction in September 1996 during a concert in Moscow. One of the heels came loose from its peg, sending Michael flying and we imagine leaving him more than a little red-faced. That naughty shoe is now on display in the Moscow branch of the Hard Rock Cafe, after it was auctioned off for $600,000 dollars following the singer's death. Right, now to find someone to craft these shoes for us for Halloween. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_D3VFfhvs4 Video via YouTube/michaeljacksonVEVO