He runs around 20 miles a day, intensely trains his leg muscles, does long stretches and regularly dives into ice baths to break the Guinness record for the longest moonwalk, set at 2 hours, 30 minutes and 50 seconds in 2011.
Freddy Dufour, a Michael Jackson impersonator from Lac Saint-Jean, will attempt to break that record on June 3 at the Place de l’Université-du-Québec. He has been training for this for several months and hopes to be able to do it significantly better than the current record holder Michael Franck, a man of German origin.
“I aim for around 3 to 3:30 hours. I would like to go to this area. We’ll see, I have no idea how difficult it will be, but I’m training accordingly,” says Freddy Dufour.
The young man has mastered the moonwalk for 13 years, so he is very happy with the idea of walking for a longer period of time. However, he expects severe pain from this challenge.
“To create the illusion of moonwalking, the elevated foot must support the entire body weight. At the same time, the flat foot moves backwards. When people look at the moving foot, they see the illusion. But on my side, I feel like it’s a curse in my thigh,” says the impersonator.
A birthday challenge
This challenge, which is a personal challenge, is also intended to celebrate Billie Jean’s 40th birthday. He’s also on the agenda for a number of activities Freddy’s team has planned, including a trip to Los Angeles to meet former associates of Michael Jackson.
The impersonator takes his role very seriously. He has already undergone multiple surgeries to look like Michael Jackson.
“I’ve already done the nose, the palate too. [Les chirurgies] forehead, jaw, chin, teeth and even just above the eyes are planned by the end of the year. There will be some changes to the nose next year,” explains Freddy.
He estimates these surgeries will cost him about $80,000 in total.
The challenge will be presented to the public on June 3rd from 1pm on the stage at the corner of Boulevard Charest Est and Rue de la Couronne.
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