(no subject)

[tgies]

US Patent 5255452

I am screenprinting a poster of this as soon as I get home

Comments

[total-death.livejournal.com]

Are those instructions on how to do the "smoothe criminal" lean from MJ?

[total-death.livejournal.com]

smooth

[tgies.livejournal.com]

That is a diagram from a patent he filed for a device which aids the performance of such a lean on stage.

In the video, the lean is accomplished with wires and harnesses and shit. He patented this device, which is a system of special shoes and a rivet which projects up through the stage, allowing a performer to attach their shoes to the stage in order to perform the lean.

[total-death.livejournal.com]

Amazing.

[korgmeister.livejournal.com]

The bit I don't get is how anyone who isn't a circus performer is meant to use one of those without hurting themselves really badly.

Or am I being Mr "Says the joke out loud so it isn't funny anymore" again?

[tgies.livejournal.com]

It seems to me it wouldn't be too hard. Your heels are tacked to the floor, so the center of gravity of the you-floor system is totally different. Just lean straight forward. Your heels aren't going anywhere, which they'd have to do for you to fall in the usual way.

I guess if the dancer had no leg muscles to speak of, or a really weird weight distribution, there would be a problem, but usually dancers do not have these problems.

Gonna have to build me one of these.

[korgmeister.livejournal.com]

I was thinking more lower back muscles. Although I have terrible core strength.

[tgies.livejournal.com]

Oh hmm point. I was just doing the farthest lean I can do without assistance of Devices and I did feel some tension down there. I suppose only a professional dancer could really do it reliably, but I am seriously gonna have to chop up some old boots and try this shit for myself.

[korgmeister.livejournal.com]

Just make sure someone reasonably strong is in the room when you do it for the first time. You don't want to fuck up your back because you leaned forward and then lacked the strength to get back up under your own power. (And that's presuming you don't break your ankles, either)

If someone else is around, you can yell for them to catch you and shove you back up.

[total-death.livejournal.com]

It seems that if you leaned without bringing your heels with you, you'd stretch your achillies and calf muscles really bad, if you weren't all flexed up you'd probably sprain or snap something.

[omgwtftoph.livejournal.com]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MWPodXjuyE

MJ obviously requires such a device, yes.

tgies why do you doubt MJ. why would you make this terrible mistake.

[tgies.livejournal.com]

The rivets are clearly visible retracted partially into the stage at 0:25. The device is in use in this performance. It would be physically impossible to perform a lean to such an acute angle without such a device.

[omgwtftoph.livejournal.com]

fine but MJ still rules stop being a bitch

[tgies.livejournal.com]

uhhh you're preaching to the choir here i dig mj and i don't think it's shitty to use a prop to accomplish a cool effect i mean i do magic tricks for damn's sake

i think the device is a p. clever idea but my whole point in the first place was just that that is a really great drawing

[tgies.livejournal.com]

i just found this post again and here's some stuff

sometimes people almost trip on the stage hooks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FqGjYH3GBE

one time one didn't engage properly and he fell: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGjTVNKSXHQ