To do the Smooth Criminal AI dance trend with your face, open the Smooth Criminal AI dance on vswp, add one photo to the lead dancer's card and start. There is nothing to film and no lean to practice: the 11-second clip, set to Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal", keeps its moves, camera, light and sound, and only the lead becomes you. You can try a free preview first, and the MP4 is usually ready in minutes.

What is the Smooth Criminal AI dance trend?

The Smooth Criminal dance trend, also searched as the Michael Jackson Smooth Criminal dance trend or the Smooth Criminal trend on TikTok, copies the routine from Jackson's 1988 "Smooth Criminal" video. Its best-known move is the lean: a tilt forward of about 45 degrees with a straight back and flat feet. No wonder people search "how to do the Smooth Criminal dance": in the original video the lean was a trick done with cables and a harness.

The AI version skips the practice. The vswp clip already has the whole dance in it, with the song playing throughout. Its lead is an AI likeness of Lewis Hamilton in his red Ferrari race suit. The clip is an AI-made homage with no tie to Jackson or his estate, and Jackson does not appear in it.

What happens in the 11 seconds?

  1. 0-3 s, the close-up. Shot from below against bright windows, the lead raises a fist to his forehead, then gives the camera a slow, sly smile. It is the only shot where his face fills the frame.
  2. 3-8 s, the spotlight. A high, wide shot of a dim hall with a pool table and a crowd along the walls. He dances in a circle of light with three dancers in dark clothes, and at about four seconds all four tip forward into the lean.
  3. 8-11 s, the line. A low, wide shot under beams of light: he steps and turns at the center of a row of dancers, one in a wide-brimmed hat.

Who should take the lead?

There is one role, so pick who gets the spotlight:

  • You, finally holding the lean you never managed.
  • The friend who owns every dance floor, or the one who never dances: the joke works both ways.
  • A Michael Jackson fan, for a birthday or a farewell video.

Ask first, whoever it is. The other dancers and the crowd stay as in the clip; for several friends in one video, pick a group clip from the trends list.

How do you make it on vswp?

  1. Open the trend. On the Smooth Criminal — AI Dance page the lead is already found; sign in with Telegram, no password needed.
  2. Add a photo to the lead's card: a JPEG, PNG or WebP of you, or of a friend who agreed.
  3. Choose the look with "Keep the original look" (below).
  4. Make the free preview: about 5 seconds at 480p with a small "vswp.app" mark, one per new user.
  5. Create the full video at 480p or 720p. The price in Telegram Stars depends on length, quality and the number of people and is shown first; if the render fails or you cancel it, the Stars come back.
  6. Download or share the MP4: horizontal 4:3 like the clip, at 480p or 720p, with the original sound. vswp doesn't crop it to vertical.

The red race suit or your own clothes?

One switch decides: "Keep the original look".

  • On: the red race suit stays, and only the face and hair change. A clear portrait is enough.
  • Off: clothes and hair come from your photo. A full-body photo of one person carries them best, so you can lean in your own jacket or dress.

In the wide shots the outfit shows more than the face. More in swap only the face or the whole person.

Which photo works for the close-up and the lean?

  • A sharp, front-facing face. The close-up holds his face large for about three seconds, and that is where people judge the likeness. Nothing over the face: no sunglasses, mask or hand.
  • Your hair, clearly visible. His hair is braided and tied back; yours comes from your photo.
  • Daylight beats a club photo. The hall's dim light stays as in the clip, so a sharp daylight photo of you alone beats a dark, grainy one.

Four dancers close together, the lean and quick turns are hard spots for generative AI. If a hand or the likeness looks off, make another take, which is a new render. More tips: which photos work best for an AI video swap.

A note on consent and labels

Use photos only of people who agreed: by starting a video, you confirm you have the right to use the video and the photos. When you post, say it's made with AI and that it isn't Michael Jackson's video; tips in how to post an AI video on TikTok, Reels and Shorts. Rules differ by country; in the EU, the AI Act's disclosure rule for deepfakes applies from August 2026. This is not legal advice.

FAQ

How do I do the Smooth Criminal AI dance with my face?

Open Smooth Criminal — AI Dance on vswp, sign in with Telegram, add one photo to the lead's card and start.

Do I have to learn the Smooth Criminal lean?

No. The lean and the rest of the dance are already in the clip; the AI only puts you in the lead's place.

What song is in the Smooth Criminal AI dance?

Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal", from his 1987 album "Bad". The clip keeps it as its sound.

Can I try the Smooth Criminal AI dance for free?

Yes. Every new vswp user gets one free preview, about 5 seconds at 480p with a small "vswp.app" mark; the full video is paid in Telegram Stars, with the price shown first.