Debbie: Michael Jackson is a phenomenon. I say is--he will always be. Never "was," he will always "be." And, um, our relationship was totally based on dance. He, um, came here many many many nights. Many days. Right there in my dance studio. Trained, new techniques, he wanted to learn how to tap-dance. He actually had an idea of doing a production with Savion Glover, cuz he really admired him. He admired Fred [Astaire] too. What is so great about Michael is he never ever settled for what his ability was at the moment. It always had to go further. He trained and practised everything that he already knew every day. Just a perfectionist! And so smart. Soft-spoken, but a *makes fist* TIGAHHHHH!!!!
Reporter Chick: So is that something that is missing in a lot of artists of today?
Debbie: I think what's missing today is we don't have enough of that development. When I think about the record business and I think about the music business and how young people just put a video up on YouTube and they can jump out there--but who is there developing them? Michael appreciated people that were real around him. I mean, he had a lot of people around him, but I think he was attracted to me because I was always very real with him.
Reporter Chick: Do you think there were too many people in his life who were always willing to say "yes" all the time, and not be real like you were able to be with him?
Debbie: Michael loved people, and he loved young people. I took a lot of people up to Neverland, a lot of kids, and the first place we went was his room, to see everything in there that was great. -sigh- But Michael had a lot of hurt in his life, a lot of hurt...
[News Anchor: CNN now confirmed from the LA coroner that Michael Jackson is dead].
Reporter Chick: What was the news like then for you, to hear that he had died?
Debbie: I was devastated. I called, uh, I remember calling Berry Gordy's office to confirm this. Nobody, like if you weren't right there in the middle of his rehearsal, you might not know. And I remember calling Diana Ross, and, ugh! It just was like, something we couldn't believe was true. And it was so painful, and it was so hurtful... we were rehearsing that day. We were rehearsing for a spring recital and I had to... I couldn't hide it from the kids because Twitter and everything is out there, so I had to tell them. And, oh my god,
all these hundreds of kids just weeping and crying, and then we said, "okay, pull it together! We are dancing for Michael now!" And that helped us, you know, get through the hurt.
And of course I immediately thought about his mother. Because his mother Katherine has always been soo wonderful and has always been there for him. I knew this was going to be really hard, and it was just hard for everyone...
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Reporter Chick: So is that something that is missing in a lot of artists of today?
Debbie: I think what's missing today is we don't have enough of that development. When I think about the record business and I think about the music business and how young people just put a video up on YouTube and they can jump out there--but who is there developing them? Michael appreciated people that were real around him. I mean, he had a lot of people around him, but I think he was attracted to me because I was always very real with him.
Reporter Chick: Do you think there were too many people in his life who were always willing to say "yes" all the time, and not be real like you were able to be with him?
Debbie: Michael loved people, and he loved young people. I took a lot of people up to Neverland, a lot of kids, and the first place we went was his room, to see everything in there that was great. -sigh- But Michael had a lot of hurt in his life, a lot of hurt...
[News Anchor: CNN now confirmed from the LA coroner that Michael Jackson is dead].
Reporter Chick: What was the news like then for you, to hear that he had died?
Debbie: I was devastated. I called, uh, I remember calling Berry Gordy's office to confirm this. Nobody, like if you weren't right there in the middle of his rehearsal, you might not know. And I remember calling Diana Ross, and, ugh! It just was like, something we couldn't believe was true. And it was so painful, and it was so hurtful... we were rehearsing that day. We were rehearsing for a spring recital and I had to... I couldn't hide it from the kids because Twitter and everything is out there, so I had to tell them. And, oh my god,
all these hundreds of kids just weeping and crying, and then we said, "okay, pull it together! We are dancing for Michael now!" And that helped us, you know, get through the hurt.
And of course I immediately thought about his mother. Because his mother Katherine has always been soo wonderful and has always been there for him. I knew this was going to be really hard, and it was just hard for everyone...
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