A Dance Victory: Winning Credit for Michael Peters as Thriller’s Choreographer

What happens when dancers speak up for what’s right — and it actually works?

After releasing an episode on the legendary choreographer Michael Peters (for my The Rest of the Story series), I stumbled across something that stopped me cold: a global dance event celebrating Thriller (Michael Jackson)… without a single mention of the man who choreographed it.

Not on the homepage. Not in the archives. Not even under “choreography.”

So I decided to do something about it.
And you — my audience — showed up in full force.

In this episode, I share the full story of what happened next: the social media post, the emails, the screenshots, the resistance, the pushback… and ultimately, the change.

Peters’ name is finally where it belongs.

It’s a small shift on a global stage — but one that reminds us credit matters, and voices can spark change.Le’t chat about how it happened!

Conceived, starring, written, and researched by: Miller Daurey

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Credit for the clips used in the video (names are YouTube handles):

1:29 min: DianeGreenZombieLeader
5:53 min: MichaelJackson & INESSENS

Fair Use Disclaimer:

This video complies with Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, which allows for the limited use of copyrighted material for purposes such as criticism, commentary, education, and research. All media excerpts are used transformatively, supported by original narration, contextual analysis, and commentary relevant to the field of dance.

I do not claim ownership of any third-party content; all clips serve an educational and documentary purpose, supporting broader storytelling around dance history, authorship, and recognition.

Featured materials include:

Thriller (Michael Jackson music video, 1983)
Thriller rehearsal footage at Debbie Reynolds Studios
Thrill the World choreography tutorial by Ines Markeljevic (YouTube)

All clips are brief, selectively edited, and presented under Fair Use for non-commercial purposes, including historical documentation, cultural critique, and the educational unpacking of authorship in choreography.