Michael Jackson’s Choreographer Teaches Dancing Filipino Prisoners
Michael Jackson was a fan of the more than 1,500 Filipino inmates who performed the choreography for his video “Thriller” in 2007 and created a viral hit. Jackson watched the videos of Cebu Provincial Detention And Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) prisoners during breaks from his tour rehearsals for “This Is It,” his choreographer Travis Payne said.
Payne recently contacted Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, and arranged to make a surprise visit to meet the performers in the high security prison, the Philippines’ Manila Bulletin reported. Payne spent two hours on Sun., Jan. 17, and Mon., Jan. 18, teaching the dancers the routines from Jackson’s posthumous “This Is It” film. Seems the prisoners themselves have attracted Payne. If you watch the dance clip, majority of them dance good. Now, if they finish their jail term, maybe they could look for jobs related to dancing. They are pretty good at it.
The “This Is It” version is a highlight of the film. It features a group of dancers who were digitally replicated to appear as an army. Payne’s work with the CPDRC men brought this virtual sequence to real life.
The inmates were not initially receptive to participating in the choreographed dances, said Bryon Garcia, a security consultant for the prison. He suggested the activity to keep the prisoners busy during their downtime, the Manila Bulletin reported.
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