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movie news
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Tue. 10 27. 2009 6:09 PM EDT
'Michael Jackson's This Is It' Dancers Teach You His Dance Moves
If you'd like to master the moves in 'Beat It,' 'Thriller' and 'Smooth Criminal,' read on.
by
Eric Ditzian
Michael Jackson in "Michael Jackson's This Is It"
(
Sony/ AEG
)
Let's face it: No one can dance like Michael Jackson. That first televised moonwalk in 1983, the zombified swagger of the "Thriller" video, the coordinated gang face-off in "Beat It" — the list goes
on and on, and is as long as it is impressive, as difficult to replicate as it is to comprehend.
And when it comes to that last point, well, who cares? Who hasn't tried to mimic the moonwalk, to bust a move to "Beat It"? With just these facts in mind, we asked Michael Jackson's own dancers — the talented men and women working alongside the King of Pop as they rehearsed for his "This Is It" concert series — if they could give us tutorials about Jackson's iconic dance moves. Even if you can't nail 'em all, you'll have a pretty good time trying.
First comes the video for "Thriller," in which Jackson and his dancers transform into flesh-eating ghoulies who can still boogie with the best of 'em. Devin Jamieson and Tyne Stecklein walk us through this tutorial. With his hands claw-like in the air, Jamieson says, "The most important aspect is the downward switch" as the dancer brings his arms from one side of his body to the other.
When it comes time for the chorus — " 'Cause this is Thriller!" — you need to pull off all sorts of looks, jumps, turns and arm pumps. It may sound a little tricky — and, of course, it is — but after a few tries you're sure to (mostly) get the hang of it.
Then there's the video for "Beat It": knife-fight dances, guitar-shredding solos and Jackson in his classic red leather jacket. As Mekia Cox explains, you need to snap your fingers by your side as you walk forward with a badass stare. Watch as she shows you how to throw your arms in the air, spin in circles and roll your shoulders like a pro. Or as close as you can come to one!
Lastly, Misha Hamilton gives a bit of insight into Jackson's gangster-inspired, gravity-defying dance moves in "Smooth Criminal." There are a whole mess of wrist and knee flicks, some seriously athletic gyrations and the requirement to stay in time with the beat.
Can you pull it off like MJ? Even if you can't, be sure to follow Hamilton's lead and shout Jackson's signature line, "Ow!" Hopefully it won't be because you twisted an ankle.
This report is from MTV News.
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