Thriller

I walked along Michigan Avenue spellbound. I’d been on a few trips to Florida and Tennessee, but this was my first time in the big city. After all, I was a country girl from a small town in Ohio. The energy was palpable. I ran my tongue along my inner bottom lip, scarred from braces, and tugged at the rainbow legwarmers I wore on my arms. Eyes wide with delight, every store window caught my attention with its promise of unexpected treasures. The world was collectively swooning over a superstar, and I was no exception. Everyone, it seemed, had Michael Jackson fever, and the evidence of it was everywhere. From lunch boxes to bubble gum cards, I’d never seen such a frenzy. I was sixteen years old in Chicago on a music-related field trip with some classmates. The year was 1983.

My family hadn’t had MTV for very long, but we picked the right time to get it. MTV back then was a constant rotation of videos with some music news sprinkled in. There were no shows about the real world or over-the-top birthday parties for teenagers or cribs of even Yo! MTV Raps.

But there was Michael Jackson. The release of the biggest album of all time in 1982 spawned two music videos that shook the world: “Billie Jean” and “Beat It”. MTV was accused of racism for never playing the videos of any black artist, but no one could deny the power of Michael’s music or visuals. MTV was backed into a corner. Michael stayed in hourly rotation.

My love of Michael runs deep. As early as age 3, I remember him. I don’t really remember my life without him. I pushed his vinyl albums around the block in my doll stroller. I stayed up late to watch him on The Midnight Special. I memorized every word of his songs. I danced to his music for hours on end. He was my passion, the bar by which every other man was judged.

So when we got word that Michael Jackson was releasing a fourteen-minute mini movie for his song “Thriller”, we could barely contain ourselves. People everywhere conjectured on what he would do next. It was an exciting time to be alive.

Families gathered around their TVs on December 2, 1983 with great anticipation, and Michael did not disappoint. Never had we seen such a thing! The storyline, the dancers, the choreography, Michael’s co-star, Ola Ray, Michael’s red leather coat, werewolves, a movie within a movie, graveyards, Mr. Vincent Price…it was beyond imagination. When Michael turned into a werewolf, I was breathless. In one night, Michael Jackson revolutionized the genre of videos. He changed pop culture, and nothing would ever be the same.

We didn’t have any way to record video back then, but I was determined to learn the entire “Thriller” dance. Every hour when MTV aired the video, I found myself sitting in front of the TV with a tape recorder and note pad. I would listen for certain snaps and hand claps, I nicknamed each part of the choreo: The Swim, The Down and Snap, The Hunched-Over Walk. And this is how I mastered it. Bit by bit. Day by day. I would go to school dances and perform it. People were astounded by how well I’d been able to capture the essence of Michael’s fancy footwork. It became my hallmark.

The ensuing years saw the tarnishing of Michael’s otherwise illustrious career, and it broke my heart because I know the American public had broken his. I remain in defense of his innocence. One thing that has never changed, though, is his undeniable talent and his incredible body of music.

In 2010, a year after Michael’s untimely demise, I found myself onstage at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC, at a huge birthday party for the King of Pop, having accepted the challenge of the DJ to participate in a “Thriller” dance contest. I did not come to play. I felt the weight of a whole generation resting squarely on my shoulders. With palms sweating, and the spirit of Michael moving through me, I did that choreography like it was 1983 all over again. Most of the other contestants dropped out before we ever reached the chorus. A few hung with me until the chorus was over, but beyond that, it was all me. For the little, country girl who had had a one-sided love affair with the greatest entertainer the world has ever known, it was a moment of pure magic. I nailed that dance from beginning to end, and when I finished, all I saw were about a thousand pairs of arms in the air. As the DJ grabbed my hand and thrust my arm up over my head declaring me the champion, the roar was deafening and utterly spectacular. I had a brief glimpse of what Michael must have felt like the countless times he graced a stage. It was a brief, shining moment I will never forget…all because of a song called “Thriller”. My memories carry me through, especially when I pause to remember June 25, 2009, one of the darkest days I have ever known. Michael’s death shattered me. I felt the world dim.

It has been an honor and a privilege to witness the icon that is Michael Jackson throughout my lifetime. May we never forget the gift he was, the bright light he brought to this planet, and how he thrilled us.