When most 8-year-olds are busy building baking soda volcanoes, Jonah Cassady-Opper had his eyes (and feet) set on something far more iconic: Michael Jackson’s legendary 45-degree lean.
The Redwood Heights second grader took his school science fair to a whole new level by merging his curiosity for science with his newfound obsession: the King of Pop. Over the course of a few weeks this spring, Jonah and his mom, chiropractor Kristan Cassady, built a working version of MJ’s patented “anti-gravity” shoes, the very ones that stunned the world in the “Smooth Criminal” video and became a staple of Michael Jackson’s stage magic.
Jonah’s journey to becoming a dedicated MJ fan is as entertaining as the moonwalk itself. He first dipped into pop royalty with an admiration for Lil Nas X and even dressed as Prince for Halloween last year. But the real transformation happened after watching a Thriller–inspired scene from the animated movie Sing. Intrigued, he asked to see the original and the zombie-fueled masterpiece didn’t scare him off. It pulled him in.
“Thriller was the gateway to Michael Jackson,” Kristan said.
By spring, Jonah had been moonwalking around the house and replaying Michael Jackson’s catalog non-stop. But one question stuck: How did MJ do that lean without falling flat on his face?
That curiosity became the foundation for Jonah’s science fair project. His first theory involved magnets: logical, but incorrect. A little research led him to Michael Jackson’s actual 1992 patent for the anti-gravity shoe design, which inspired Jonah and his mom to recreate it themselves.
What followed was a series of experiments worthy of MJ’s own perfectionism. First, Jonah tried his regular Air Jordans. The result? A humble 13-degree lean. Next came some elastic Chelsea boots. Better, but not quite MJ magic, he kept sliding out and “faceplanting safely,” as his mom put it.
Finally, they found the perfect pair: slick, patent-leather lace-up boots. Using the original patent, the pair carved a hitch slot into the heels and mounted them onto a wooden base using a screw system, just like MJ’s. With that secure anchor, Jonah was ready to defy gravity.
The project earned him a spot at the district-wide STEM fair for the Oakland Unified School District. But just as Jonah was preparing for the big moment, disaster struck. The family’s car was stolen from their driveway, anti-gravity shoes and all.
“A not-so-smooth criminal,” Kristan joked. It took a few days to break the news to Jonah. But true to MJ’s spirit of resilience, they rebuilt the shoes in time.
Jonah’s big moment came dressed in full MJ style: pinstripe suit, matching fedora, and all the charisma of a tiny showman. His live demo blew away attendees, even high schoolers were lining up to try on the shoes and strike the iconic lean.
And Jonah? He was more than happy to share the spotlight.
“That’s Jonah in a nutshell,” his mom said. “He’s such a big sweetie and wants to share his joy with everybody.”
As for what’s next? Jonah’s already brainstorming his next move: unlocking the secrets of the moonwalk.
“Is it wheels? Is it slippery butter? Is it a hitch member?” he said. “I haven’t solved that problem yet.”
But give him time. The magic of Michael lives on in this next-gen superfan.
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