move it like MJ

Since he first moonwalked to Billie Jean in 1983, Michael Jackson had revolutionised dance culture. His hip-popping, gliding and yes, crotch-grabbing, set the tone for future stars like Justin Timberlake. Singaporean MJ impersonator V Prakash shows how you can jam to the gloved one's signature moves

The moonwalk

--TEXT: SHREE ANN MATHAVAN --TNP PICTURES: CHOO CHWEE HUA --TNP DESIGN: SIMON ANG

1 Start with right leg behind left leg. Cock left heel, plant right foot firmly on the ground

2 Press left heel down, slide right leg across floor. Finish with right heel up

3 Press right heel down, drag left leg back past right leg.

4 Finish with left heel up. Repeat and 'don't stop till you get enough'.Three to four cycles is good enough for you to feel like a 'smooth criminal'.

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT: A good moonwalk makes you look like you've going forward while actually gilding backwards - as though you're on a conveyor belt.

Debut: 1983, at Motown's 25th birthday, while grooving to the funky beats of Billie Jean.

Tip: Head movement is key. As you slide backwards, your head and shoulders should jerk front and back, to give a push-and-pull motion.

SideGlide

1 Place feet side by side shoulder width apart. Bend left leg with heel off floor.

2 Press left heel down, glide right leg to right. Right leg ends with the heel lifted up, knee bent.

3 Press right heel down, pull left leg over to right side, overlapping right foot. Finish with left heel up.

4 Snap head to left shoulder and press left foot down. Snap head back to centre, slide right leg under left heel at same time.

5 Repeat the cycle with left knee bent and left heel up. Feeling 'bad' yet?

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT: Another trademark Jackson move.

Debut: First seen in the 1992-1993 Dangerous World Tour, for Billie Jean.

Tip: What adds to the effect of the side glide is the shoulder and head movement. As your left leg pushes the right leg, your right shoulder pushes to the right. It should be 'wave-like' motion with shoulder, head and the sliding leg going in the same direction.

Spin and toe stand

1 Feet apart, twist torso to right. Left arm is crooked in front of chest and right arm is slightly away from right side.

2 Turn using arms, using left foot as pivot. To help you turn, rest right foot on left foot, and spin around. Wear shoes with slightly-worn soles on a smooth floor to help with executing turn.

3 Make a full spin. You should be standing with right side facing the front, with both legs apart.

4 Jump slightly. Land with knees bent and make like a ballerina and snap both heels up. Voila, the toe-stand.

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT: Comes right after the moonwalk.

Debut: 1983, in same iconic Billie Jean performance.

Tip: When spinning, don't swing your arms out. Keep them close to your body, or your spin will go off. While Jackson can do three to four spins, begin with getting one full spin right. Toe stands can be painful but with practice, toes do adjust to the tough balancing act. And for Jackson fans? Always spin counter-clockwise - Jackson did.

---

HAT TILT Have a Jacksonesque black hat on and place left hand on the top of the hat pushing it downwards over the eyes. That's it, no tricky moves here. VICTORY SALUTE Place left leg behind right. Bend body towards right and splay arms out in a V for victory sign. Tilt head down towards the floor and soak in the adulation CROTCH GRAB Spread left hand over front of pelvis and pose. Place right hand slightly away from right side. You don't actually have to grab your bits, although Jackson did during his live concerts, where he grabbed his pelvis and gyrated his hips front and back. MJ's iconic finishes Jackson often punctuates his dance sequences with a pose. Here are three - the crotch grab, the hat tilt and the victory salute.