MJ: The man who could defy gravity

The late Michael Jackson will be remembered for many things and was without doubt the Elvis Presley of his generation. Jackson was a consumate perfomer and perfectionist and worked hard on his stage routines trying always to create more and more spectacles for his fans to enjoy. One particular routine required the singer to appear to defy gravity and lean his body forward beyond its centre of gravity. To achieve this he first had to develop then patent (Patent No 5,255,452) a specially designed pair of shoes in 1993. The shoes had a heel slot which could be detachably engaged with the hitch member through a stage surface which then enabled the foot to slide forward. Have a look at Smooth Criminal