01/19/2010 | 08:34 AM
After making their tribute to the late "King of Pop" Michael Jackson following his death last year, inmates at a Cebu penitentiary got to meet - and learn from - the superstar's choreographer, who is supposedly planning a "big number" with them.
Radio dzBB's Cebu affiliate reported on Tuesday that Travis Payne was in the city for a two-day visit.
The report also cited Byron Garcia, Cebu capitol consultant on security matters, as saying that Payne is planning a "big production number" with the inmates.
However, Garcia did not elaborate on the matter.
DzBB's report also said that the dancing inmates of Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center learned "The Drill" from Payne for two days.
"The Drill" was the last choreography Payne and Jackson collaborated on before Jackson died in June 2009.
Shortly after Jackson died, the inmates performed a tribute dance number based on Jackson's hit "Thriller." The video of the dance was uploaded to video sharing site YouTube.
The inmates gained fame for their choreographed dances of many hit songs. Videos of their dances are uploaded to YouTube. - LBG, GMANews.TV
SOURCE
Cebu dancing inmates still moonwalk with MJ
By NEIL RAMOS
January 19, 2010, 3:59pm
Pictures of the inmates in ‘The Official Michael Jackson Opus.’ (Photo by DAY CABUHAT)
After having made their mark internationally in a YouTube video showing them dancing to the beat of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” the inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) extend their 15 minutes of fame by continuing their association with the late pop star.
The dancing inmates are among those featured in a recently published book dedicated to Jackson, “The Official Michael Jackson Opus.”
Byron Garcia, Capitol consultant on security, and the man credited to have started the showbiz career of the prisoners, said a friend from abroad informed him of the book.
According to Garcia, his friend told him that pictures of the inmates dancing “Thriller” were in two pages of the book. “I still have to purchase the book so I can see it,” he told a leading Cebu daily.
In appreciation of the international recognition, Garcia asked the inmates to do another Jackson song, “They Don’t Care About Us,” during their Sinulog presentation on Jan. 16.
Although Garcia considers it quite an honor to be featured in Jackson’s book---enough for it to be considered an apex for his inimitable dance crew---he aims to continue reaching greater heights.
“I will continue to think of new dance steps so we can move one more step forward,” he said.
In a related report ran by Radio dzBB-Cebu, it was revealed that Travis Payne, Jackson's choreographer and associate director for 18 years, visited the inmates to work on a "big number."
Radio dzBB said Payne taught the YouTube sensations a new dance routine called "The Drill," as seen in Jackson’s recent “This Is It” hit concert movie during his two-day visit.
Although the news proved thrilling to fans, Garcia refused to validate the notion.
However, Sunstar Cebu confirmed that Payne did come to Cebu and even paid a courtesy call to Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.
Payne's visit coincided with what the paper called a "Peace Tour," which Payne's group is conducting in conjunction with the worldwide release of the “This Is It” concert on DVD and will be featured on CNN exclusively.
In an interview with the daily, Payne said Cebu is important because of the “fame that has come to the inmates dancing to [Jackson’s] music.”
As for the alleged collaboration with the inmates, Payne was clear about his plans.
“It is a wonderful partnership in just spreading love and peace. I think that with Jackson at the center of everything. It is really a blessing to be here,” Payne added.
Garcia kept mum on the subject.
It is Garcia who decides the dance routine that the CPDRC inmates perform on the jail's monthly open house. He is also the one who uploads video copies of the performances on YouTube.
Garcia said that so far, the inmates already know the dance steps to about 40 songs. Just recently, they collaborated with the Sexbomb Dancers for a new video of the election awareness song, “Bilog.”
“Bilog” is a project of network giant GMA-7 that aims to teach voters how to properly shade the circles provided in the official ballots to be used in the still-controversial automated voting system.
Here is their latest Michael Jackson routine...
Hope he's reading and watching this...
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