Michael Jackson Smooth Criminal music video

The Lean was orginally seen in the Smooth Criminal music video which was from the movie Moonwalker.

Basically the lean dance move in the video was a special effect.
In an Online Audio Chat - October 26, 2001Michael was asked : How do you do that lean on the video to Smooth Criminal?

Michael: Oh, Smooth Criminal, well. That one happened ... it was in the middle of the shoot and it wasn't .. I choreographed it right at the moment. Took us an hour to execute it. It's a special effect that we kind of lean as far as we can and, uh, we let the conveyor belt do the rest.

So how does Michael peform it live on stage????

Well its all in Michaels patented shoes which allow the wearer to lean forwardly beyond there center of gravity. They have aspecially designed heel slot which can be detachably engaged with the hitch member by simply sliding the shoe wearer's foot forward, thereby engaging with the hitch member.

As you can see in the video on the left one of Michael dancers give a little insight into the move when it doesn't go so smooth.