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RIP Michael Jackson 1958-2009

I could wax poetic for hours about Michael Jackson’s influence on pop-culture, fashion, z-list actors, and the music industry in general. It’s not a giant leap to say the man was iconic, legendary, larger than life. With a freak flag to rival all freak flags, MJ carved a name and image for himself that will be remembered for decades and centuries to come, for better or worse.  I can’t state this better than the other sources I’ve found online today.

No, I’ll stick to what I know, and I know the profound effect Michael Jackson has had on my life.

"Thriller" - Where the shit is.

I, like so many little girls, was pushed into dance by my mother.  It’s not something that I necessarily remember wanting to do, but something that was planned for me.  What better social activity for a girl too young for school than one that incorporates lack of grace and frilly pink tutus?  Don’t get it twisted, I was definitely hooked to the thrill of the spotlight once I had my first recital, I’m just saying I didn’t quite care about dancing…

…that is, until I saw my first Michael Jackson video on MTV.

Zombies AND dancing?!? I'm in heaven.

Say what you will about MJ, but the man could MOVE.  Unique just doesn’t cover it.  As a dancer, you try to set yourself apart from other dancers by developing a signature style, a movement vocabulary that is 100% your own influences and creation.  I think it’s pretty safe to say, Michael had unrivaled style.  When I first saw the video for “Thriller”, I knew I needed to dance; it was imperative to my very survival.

From then on, I began to cultivate a large stack of VHS tapes dedicated to MJ.  Videos, news segments, interviews, and concert footage were all carefully documented and studied.  I practiced the choreography in his videos ad nauseam, and marveled slack-jawed at the parts I just couldn’t make my body mimick.

Amazing.

I don’t quite have the words to describe the charisma this man exuded.  He was, at once, niave and deep, child-like and sexual, raw and refined.  I don’t know how he did it, but it made him captivating and awe-inspiring.  Throughout my life I’ve looked up to performers that exuded power and energy, but MJ was THE force with which to be reckoned.