Do the Michael Jackson Side Slide
The Side Slide is a move that was introduced by Michael Jackson, and will not fail to impress. He is most known for introducing the moonwalk, but this will take your dancing to a whole new level.
Steps
- Stand with your back straight and your chin up. Place your feet shoulder width apart and pointing diagonally outwards.
- Bend your left leg at the knee and in the direction that your foot is pointing while raising your left heel off the floor.
- Keep your body upright and straight. You should feel the muscles in your left thigh working as they take your weight.
- Pivot on your left toe and right heel, so that both your toes are pointing inwards.
- Bend your left knee and keep your right straight. Snap your left knee back and your right knee forward so that this is reversed. Snap! Snap!
- Turn your right heel in towards the other leg while keeping your toe in contact with the floor.
- Use your right foot to slide to the left. As you push off, turn your left foot in the direction that it's sliding and take the weight onto your left toes to stop the slide.
- Drag your right heel towards your left foot while pivoting on your left toes. Your heel should slide along 'into' the floor in a straight line.
- At the end of the heel-slide, flip your foot so that your toes are touching the floor and your heel is raised.
- Push off into another slide from this position. Push down and into the floor with your right foot while sliding your left foot away. Remember to point your left toe in the direction you are travelling and keep your back upright and straight at all times.
- Repeat the heel drag as before by sliding your heel inwards to the left while pivoting your left toe inwards. At the end of the movement flip your toes down and your heel up once more.
- Join it up. You now have all the necessary footwork to pull this off, but next you have to join it up into one continuous line by repeating these moves to build up speed and smoothness.
- Add some upper body movement to complete the look. Keep your arms straight and bring them to the front of your body with your fingers pointing outward and your palms parallel to the floor. Next move your arms up and down from the shoulder. Add in a rotation so that your arms look like pistons driving the motion in the rest of your body.
- Keep your back straight and make a circular movement in a counter-clockwise direction with your head. Be careful not to jerk your neck. This movement should be smooth and steady.
- Practice. Don't worry if you don't get the Michael Jackson side slide straight away. It won't be long until you've nailed the dance and can use your sweet new moves to impress friends and family.
Tips
- If you are going to try to pull it off in public, make sure you're well practiced or you might make a fool of yourself in front of people.
- When moving your neck in a smooth, counter-clockwise circle, keep your shoulders hunched and move your left shoulder up when your head goes to the left, move both shoulders down when moving your head to the back, then move your right shoulder up when moving your head to the right. Hold both your arms out a little bent in the elbows and wave them around just a tiny bit to give it more of that Michael Jackson look.
Warnings
- Never start off in your shoes first. Practice with socks on a smooth floor then hit the dance floor with good, well trainers or old worn-out shoes that slide.
Things You'll Need
- Socks, then when you've mastered it, Good trainers
- Comfortable loose clothes
- A bit of attitude.
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