Michael Jackson & Salsa!

There has been a huge revival of the self-proclaimed ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson which started since (and because of) his untimely dead on June 25, 2010. Michael has inspired many Salsa Artists and Dancers in the years before and in the months after his passing away.

In 1986, the internationally acclaimed Merengue superstar from the Dominican Republic Juan Luis Guerra released a Merengue version of Michael Jackson’s song ‘Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough’ and gave it the title ‘Dame’ (‘Give Me’ ) which appeared on the second album Mudanza Y Acarreo of his band ‘Juan Luis Guerra y su 440’. His fellow Dominican and singer Javier Gutiérrez, better known as Mala Fe, issued a funny ‘Merengue Ripiáo’ version of ‘Beat It’ called ‘Los Tigres’ (The Tigers). The Italian Salsa DJ Berna Jam is famous for remixing of Pop Music with Salsa. He re-mastered Jackson’s ‘You Rock My World’ to Salsa only as a try-out and gave the sample to some friends to listen. Soon there was a great run in the worldwide Salsa Dance community in searching for it.  

The King of Pop himself obviously got some inspiration from the growing Salsa Dance hype. In his video clip ‘Blood on the Dancefloor’ (song first released in 1997) he combines his funky dance with Salsa. There are many references to Salsa Music, Dance and Culture in this clip: dancing with maracas, the clothing, and nearly at the end of the music video Michael partners up with ‘Suzy’ doing Cross Body Leads breaking On3 (!), leading her into a free left turn and an inside turn. His dancers combine Salsa and Latin Dance from the beginning until the end.

Jackson inspired many Salsa Dancers, Instructors and Choreographers with his electrifying dance. Soon these Salsa Amateurs and Professionals started to choreograph and dance their own Michael Jackson Salsa Dance Routines. The video clip ‘Thriller’ is by far the favorite of many Salsa Show Teams. In 2001 Club Latino from Sweden won the Salsa Team Competition during the 4th European Salsa Festival in The Netherlands. The student team of Salsa Dance Squad (the Netherlands) won the Salsa Dance Competition, yet again in The Netherlands (2008). The Juan Rando Dance Academy Pro Team performed a Thriller Salsa Dance routine at the Sydney Salsa Congress 2009. The dance routine became the biggest hit at the congress. Mambocha Company (2007), and the Salsa Heat Team (2008) are two of the dozens of Salsa Dance teams around the world who gave their onw Salsa and Mambo interpretations of the first videoclip which was made as a ‘mini movie’ and revolutionized the entertainment industry.     

The best-known International Dance Teachers and Entertainer who have honored Michael Jackson is the ‘King of Salsa’, the Mexican Johnny Vazquez. The first time he choreographed a Salsa dance choreography including Michael Jackson it was Ramon Morales who danced the part of Michael while Johnny himself did the Elvis Presley Salsa dance impersonation (the ‘King of Rock & Roll’). They performed the dance routine at the Skegness Salsa Congress (U.K., 2002). The second time around Vazquez chose to dance the part of the King of Pop himself in his stunning ‘Dangerous’ Salsa routine, which he remixed in 2006 by starting with the intro of ‘Smooth Criminal’. 

On 22 and 23 of January 2010 the long-time International Salsa/Mambo Dance Instructor, Singer, and Choreographer Seaon ‘The Stylist’ Bristol (from the San Francisco Bay Area, U.S.A.) sung live and danced in a ‘Broadway Latin Style production called ‘Rock With You’. The show featured a selection of Michael Jackson hits like “Remember The Time’, and ‘The Way You make me Feel’. An all star Salsa and Latin Jazz band directed by the Grammy nominated musician Rebeca Mauleón accompanied Saeon. The songs were performed to a variety of Latin rythms, including Merengue, Cha-cha-cha, Salsa, and Reggaetón.    

Chances are the list of Salsa renditions of Michael Jackson will keep inspiring many artists in the near future to do the same. All these homage’s will keep the memory of Michael alive for decades to come, just like what happened with the King of Rock & Roll, Elvis Presley.