Humanoid robot dancing to Michael Jackson's Billie Jean falls mid-performance in China, dragged from stage | Watch Video

Weeks after a 70-pound humanoid robot delayed a Southwest Airlines flight in California, a new video of another humanoid robot has gone viral, and for good reason.

According to the Daily Mail, the video shows a humanoid robot suffering a mid-performance malfunction while dancing to Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” at a Future Era robot store in Shenzhen, China. The clip is now circulating widely online.

The clumsy robot was performing in front of a watching audience. As soon as Jackson’s “Billie Jean” played, the humanoid dancer began shuffling energetically across the stage before it stumbled over a step. However, after fighting to regain its balance, the bot managed to force through a few more moves before crashing into the same spot.

Following this, a human assistant emerged from the wings to drag the lifeless body off the stage as the audience watched in complete silence.

One user on X wrote, “No crowd reaction, anything. Just ‘Billie Jean’. Until its lifeless shell is shamefully dragged off. Purely amazing.”

Another wrote, “Go home, robot, you’re drunk.” A third user wrote, “Wow, the new Michael Jackson movie looks terrible.”

The developments come as humanoid robots are becoming a common sight in China, appearing everywhere from promotional events for new stores and restaurants to school sports days.

In 2025, the Future Era store opened as the world’s first commercial robotics store, featuring humanoid robots such as the Unitree G1 seen dancing on stage. To attract customers, the store also hosts frequent robotics showcases featuring humanoid assistants and robotic dogs.

According to a report by the South China Morning Post, the store’s bots can be rented by the day from 5,000 RMB ($700) to 20,000 RMB ($2,800).

Once they have ordered a humanoid, customers can receive their robot in less than 10 days and can even opt for custom modifications made to suit their needs.

Amid an ageing population and sluggish economic growth following decades of expansion, humanoid robots are becoming a key pillar of industrial strategy in Beijing.

At a sports day event in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in north-west China, a robot performing a martial arts routine was filmed losing balance and collapsing as children ran onto the field to join it. The bot appeared to throw kung-fu-style kicks, prompting performers nearby to back away cautiously.

In a separate incident, footage from a show in Shaanxi Province on Saturday, 21 March, shows a Unitree robot striking a young boy in the face. During its routine, the robot moved toward the audience with wide arm motions and accidentally hit the child while turning during a spin.

The robot, which was reportedly travelling for work, grabbed the attention of the crew and raised questions before departure.

The Dallas-based Elite Event Robotics team purchased a separate seat for the robot after its transport case was found to be too heavy for checked baggage. Before boarding, Bebop briefly entertained passengers, though concerns were raised once it was secured in its seat.

In a video shared on the company’s Instagram account, the four-foot-tall, 70-pound humanoid robot can be seen moving its arms back and forth in front of a crowd of onlookers.