Love him or hate him, there’s no denying Michael Jackson earned his title as the “King of Pop.”
He invented countless iconic moves in his day including the toe-walk, the anti-gravity lean and of course the moonwalk… just to name a few. If he had risen to fame in the age of Instagram and TikTok, there’s no doubt there would have been dozens of different viral “MJ challenges.”
But Brett Nichols didn’t need an online trend to take on the challenge of learning those legendary dance moves we’ve all come to know and love.
He performed the moves in front of everyone at his high school back in 2014, and the video quickly swept the internet. Since then, he has graduated from Pitman Public School in New Jersey but was invited back to perform for the younger students. He’s a local celebrity!
As soon as he walked onto the dance floor the entire auditorium was roaring.
He looked ready to go, but then, looking as if he forgot something, he quickly ran back to the sideline of the dance floor.
Two guys are standing there with a slick black jacket and the iconic MJ hat. They help him put them on and then dramatically fall back as the lights dim and the music starts to play.
Now he’s ready.
As soon as he breaks into his routine, everyone goes wild!
A group of people behind him on the floor dance in place along with the show—including a student dressed like Chef Boyardee.
When he does the flipped back jacket move he looks like a natural—like he’s been doing this for years.
And while he has been dancing for a while…. he’s had no formal training! He’s entirely self-taught.
Some YouTube commenters like Ce An Ly, suspected a secret family connection.
Michael Jackson: “the kid is not my son.”
The kid, years later:
Others knew those smooth moves were going to make him popular with his classmates.
That dude had no problem getting dates to dances and the prom. – Jack Funk
It’s as if these kids feel like they’re watching one of their favorite artists perform. He’s a legend at this high school… and on the internet. This video has been viewed more than 20 million times!
They’re throwing their hands up in the air, and drumming along on the floor to the beat. Everyone starts screaming any time he pulls out an awesome move… which is often.
When he hits the moonwalk, the crowd loses it.
That move is particularly hard to pull off. A lot of people think they’re doing it right… but they’re wrong.
However, Brett Nichols is not one of those people. He’s doing it absolutely perfectly. Are we surprised though? No.
MJ himself would be proud!
He finishes off his routine with a classic pose, then takes a bow and blows a kiss to the audience. This guy has star power!
Nailing Michael Jackson routines isn’t just a part-time thing for Brett. He’s a dedicated performer and is working towards a career in acting.
If you’re like me, and you always wondered how Michael could lean that far without falling flat on his face, well, the secret’s out…
It’s special shoes! Brett can pull off the most extreme of leans because he has reinforcement straps attached on the insides to keep his feet in place. I mean, it’s definitely also a lot of practice and pure talent, but the straps sound important too.
Please don’t try this at home without a mattress on the floor or something to break your fall!
Watch the incredible MJ-inspired dance routine by clicking below!
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