Jeffrey Daniel Reveals How He Taught Michael Jackson The Moonwalk

Jeffrey Daniel .

Jeffrey Daniel, a renowned dancer and member of Shalamar, has explained how he introduced Michael Jackson to the famous moonwalk.

During an interview on Channels TV, Daniel stated that Jackson first noticed him performing the “backslide” on Soul Train in 1979 with his dance 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.

The following year, Daniel said that Jackson approached him at Disneyland, where his group was performing, and requested that he teach him how to dance.

Daniel recalled, “He brought little Janet Jackson, and they stood in the wing and watched us dance. Then he asked me to teach him to dance.”

This meeting marked the beginning of a professional partnership between Daniel and Jackson that lasted for more than two decades.

Daniel mentioned that he collaborated closely with Jackson on several projects, which included choreographing the videos for “Beat It” and “Smooth Criminal”, travelling to Brazil for “They Don’t Really Care About Us”, and contributing to “Ghosts”.

He also worked as an A&R and creative consultant at Jackson’s record company, MJJ Music.

“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 further revealed a surprising personal discovery, noting that he and the pop legend were actually cousins, something they only became aware of later in life.

“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, the King of Pop, transformed the music and dance world with his groundbreaking performances, innovative choreography, and best-selling albums such as “Thriller”, which remains the best-selling album in history.

Jeffrey Daniel’s choreography played a central role in creating the spectacle of Jackson’s live performances and iconic music videos, leaving a permanent legacy in the entertainment industry.