Jeffrey Daniel, a legendary dancer and member of Shalamar, revealed how he introduced Michael Jackson to the iconic moonwalk in an interview on Channels TV.
Daniel is widely recognised as a pioneer of dance in pop music, credited with introducing the backslide, a move that would later become Michael Jackson’s signature moonwalk to mainstream audiences.
Before joining Shalamar, he formed the dance group Eclipse, which showcased his innovative choreography on popular shows such as Soul Train.
Daniel explained that Michael Jackson first noticed him performing the move in 1979 on Soul Train, when Daniel performed with the group Eclipse.
“Well, I mean, it’s funny because now it’s in a totally new context. Michael saw me doing the backslide in ’79 on Soul Train,” he said.
Daniel explained that in 1980, Jackson came to watch his 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 recalled.
Over the years, Daniel worked closely with Jackson, choreographing videos such as ‘Beat It’ and ‘Smooth Criminal’, travelling with him to Brazil for ‘They Don’t Really Care About Us’, and contributing to ‘Ghosts’.
“I worked with Michael over a 20-year period, and the last job I had in America was at MJJ Music, his record company, as A&R and creative consultant,” he said.
Daniel also shared a surprising personal revelation, explaining that he and the Pop Legend were cousins; something they didn’t know until their later years.
“Because my father didn’t raise me, but in 2008, my father showed me my family tree, and I found out that I’m Michael’s cousin. So all the years we were working together, I never knew that we were related to the Jacksons.
“We now call each other cousin all the time. We speak — Jermaine Jackson, Janet, Randy, and the older sister, Rebe. We call each other cousins all the time. But all the time we were working, I never knew we were related,” he said.
Michael Jackson, often hailed as the King of Pop, transformed global music and dance with his groundbreaking performances, innovative choreography, and record-breaking albums, including ‘Thriller’, which remains the best-selling album of all time.
Daniel’s choreography played a crucial role in shaping the visual impact of Jackson’s live shows and music videos.
