Legendary dancer Jeffrey Daniel has revealed how he introduced Michael Jackson to the famous moonwalk, a move that became the King of Pop’s trademark.
Speaking on Channels TV on Thursday, Daniel, a member of the music group Shalamar, said Jackson first saw him perform the move—then called the “backslide”—in 1979 on the American TV show Soul Train.
“Michael saw me doing the backslide in ’79 on Soul Train. In 1980, he came to watch my group perform at Disneyland. He brought little Janet Jackson, and they stood in the wing and watched us dance. Then he asked me to teach him to dance,” Daniel explained.
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Daniel went on to work with Jackson for more than 20 years, helping choreograph music videos such as Beat It and Smooth Criminal. He also joined Jackson on projects in Brazil and contributed to Ghosts.
“I worked with Michael over a 20-year period,” Daniel said. “The last job I had in America was at MJJ Music, his record company, as A&R and creative consultant.”
In a surprising revelation, Daniel said he later discovered he was actually related to Jackson.
“In 2008, my father showed me my family tree, and I found out that I’m Michael’s cousin. All the years we were working together, I never knew. Now we call each other cousins all the time—Jermaine, Janet, Randy, even Rebe,” he said.
Michael Jackson, widely celebrated as the King of Pop, changed global music and dance with his record-breaking albums and electrifying performances. Daniel’s creativity, especially the moonwalk, helped shape Jackson’s unforgettable stage presence.