# Smooth Criminal Dance AI > The Smooth Criminal dance is the 2026 TikTok routine to a remix of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal": a flick at an imaginary hat brim, sharp arm swings, kicks to the side and a loose groove on the beat. Canonical: https://aidanceapp.com/templates/smooth-criminal-dance Updated: 2026-11-01 Publisher: AI Dance (https://aidanceapp.com), by Applax Pte. Ltd. The Smooth Criminal dance is the 2026 TikTok routine to a remix of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal": a flick at an imaginary hat brim, sharp arm swings, kicks to the side and a loose groove on the beat. Upload one photo of a person and AI Dance makes them do the dance in an 11-second 9:16 video with the music, ready in a few minutes. ## Facts - Price: 1 credit per video. A failed video gives its credits back. - Output: 11 second 9:16 MP4, ready in a few minutes. - Works with photos of: person. - Song: original sound - cadelandmia (Smooth Criminal remix) by Cadel and Mia, remix of Michael Jackson (named only, add it when you post). - Trend status: Rising now (checked 2026-11-01). - Example video: https://aidanceapp.com/media/t/smooth-criminal-dance/smooth-criminal-dance-adult.mp4 (the original dance by @katy_carrdona, https://www.tiktok.com/@katy_carrdona/video/7687790189271403796, with its original sound). ## What is the Smooth Criminal trend? "Smooth Criminal" is Michael Jackson's 1988 single from the album Bad, famous for its white suit, fedora and lean. In August 2026 the dance duo Cadel and Mia (@cadelandmia) posted a routine to a sped-up remix of the song as "original sound - cadelandmia". That first post passed 8.2 million views, and the sound became the base of a new TikTok trend. It grew all through September. @larosi.222 posted a duo take on August 16 (5.2 million views), @carlowrush posted his duo version on September 13 (4.2 million), and on September 21 Colombian creator Katy Carrdona (@katy_carrdona) posted the solo take shown on this page, which passed 23.5 million views. She kept posting new versions every few days, several of them above 10 million views, and @nicollefigueroaa (13.2 million, October 3) and hundreds of other creators joined in. By November 1 AI video sites such as MakeViral had added it as a template. On AI Dance, the template copies Katy's moves onto your own photo: your face, clothes and background stay, and your body follows the dance beat by beat. ### The moves She starts bent forward with a hand on the hip, pops up and kicks out to the side, then flicks a hand past her face like tipping a hat brim. Next come quick arm swings across the body and a side step, a hand over the eyes with the other arm stretched out, a short groove with the hands at the chest, and a run of loose shoulder and hip bounces to the end of the phrase. ## How to make the Smooth Criminal video 1. **Add your photo.** Upload one clear photo of you or a friend, facing the camera, as much of the body in the frame as you can. 2. **Tap Make my video.** The Smooth Criminal dance costs 1 credit. The AI copies the moves onto your photo while you wait, about a few minutes. 3. **Download and post.** You get a 11 second 9:16 MP4. It comes with the dance's music. Post it on TikTok, Reels or Shorts, and swap the sound inside the app if you like. ## Best photo for Smooth Criminal - Use a full-body photo with your feet in the frame: the dance has kicks and side steps. - Leave some space around you: the arms swing wide. - Stand facing the camera with your arms relaxed at your sides. - Pajamas or a loose outfit look just like the original clip; a white shirt and a fedora give you the Michael Jackson look. - One person per photo. The AI animates the biggest person in the frame. Avoid: - Group photos, or a second person cut off at the edge - Faces turned away, covered or in deep shadow - Blurry or very dark photos - Heavy filters, stickers or text on the photo ## Post it on TikTok, Reels or Shorts - Your video comes with the dance's music. To join the trend, use "original sound - cadelandmia" in TikTok and turn the original sound down. - Use the tags people search for: #smoothcriminal, #smoothcriminaldance, #michaeljackson and #dancetrend. - Hit the hat flick right on the beat at the start: it is the move people recognize. - Try a version in a Michael Jackson outfit, the way many creators did in the trend. Caption idea: annie, are you ok? 🕺 Hashtags: #smoothcriminal #smoothcriminaldance #michaeljackson #dancetrend #aidance ## Smooth Criminal trend timeline - 2026-08-04: Cadel and Mia post their Smooth Criminal remix routine, the sound of the trend (8.2 million views). (source: https://www.tiktok.com/@cadelandmia/video/7670167822596803848) - 2026-08-16: @larosi.222 posts a duo take that passes 5.2 million views. (source: https://www.tiktok.com/@larosi.222/video/7674669978695617825) - 2026-09-13: @carlowrush posts his duo version (4.2 million views). (source: https://www.tiktok.com/@carlowrush/video/7685102640497184018) - 2026-09-21: Katy Carrdona posts the solo take shown on this page, which passes 23.5 million views. (source: https://www.tiktok.com/@katy_carrdona/video/7687790189271403796) - 2026-10-03: @nicollefigueroaa posts a take that passes 13.2 million views. (source: https://www.tiktok.com/@nicollefigueroaa/video/7692583730828840206) - 2026-11-01: MakeViral adds a Smooth Criminal dance AI template. (source: https://www.makeviral.ai/templates/smooth-criminal-dance-ai-trend) ## More dances like this - [Billie Jean](https://aidanceapp.com/templates/billie-jean-dance): 1 credit, 11 s, for person. - [Thriller](https://aidanceapp.com/templates/thriller-dance): 8 credits, 10 s, for person. - [Pick It Up](https://aidanceapp.com/templates/pick-it-up-dance): 1 credit, 11 s, for person. - [Tarantino](https://aidanceapp.com/templates/tarantino-dance): 1 credit, 11 s, for person. - [Fuzzy Dream](https://aidanceapp.com/templates/fuzzy-dream-dance): 1 credit, 10 s, for person. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the Smooth Criminal dance? A TikTok dance from 2026 to a remix of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal": a hat-brim flick, sharp arm swings, kicks to the side and a loose groove. It is short, about 15 seconds, and is done solo or in pairs. ### Is it Michael Jackson's original choreography? No. The song is Michael Jackson's 1988 hit, but the TikTok routine is new: it comes from the remix posted by Cadel and Mia in August 2026, with nods to his moves like the hat flick. ### Who made the Smooth Criminal dance? The remix routine was posted by the dance duo Cadel and Mia (@cadelandmia) and spread through many creators' takes; the clip on this page is by Katy Carrdona (@katy_carrdona). AI Dance is not affiliated with them or with the Michael Jackson estate. ### Can I do it with a friend? This template animates one person. Many takes in the trend are duos: make one video for each of you and post them side by side. ### Is the Smooth Criminal AI dance free? No, Smooth Criminal costs 1 credit per video, but you can earn a free video by inviting friends. Invite 3 friends with your link. When 3 friends join with Google sign-in, you get a free video (1 credit), up to 10 times. Credit packs start at $4.49 for 3 credits, and the weekly plan is $7.99 for 8 credits a week. ### How long is the Smooth Criminal video, and how long does it take? The video is about 11 seconds long, in 9:16 MP4 for TikTok, Reels and Shorts. It is ready in a few minutes, and it also appears in My videos, so you can leave the page. ### Who made the dance video on this page? The clip on this page is the original post by Katy Carrdona (@katy_carrdona) on TikTok, shown with its original sound and a link to the post. Your own video is made by AI from your photo, so you do not need to learn the steps. ### Can I add the song? Yes. Your video comes with the music of the Smooth Criminal dance clip, timed to the moves. To post with the official "Smooth Criminal" sound instead, add it in TikTok, Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts and line up the first beat.