MJ-UPBEAT
Featuring News From MJNO
January 7, 2006
Michael Jackson dines with choreographer Kenny Ortega!!
Michael Jackson appears to be moving quickly with his comeback plans.
Jackson was spotted Friday dining with Emmy-Award winning director/choreographer Kenny Ortega, who choreographed Jackson's last tour, almost a decade ago.
Jackson, who moved to Las Vegas two weeks ago after 16 months overseas, had dinner with Ortega in a private room at Wynn Las Vegas.
In another development, I learned Saturday that Jackson has reconciled with his parents, Las Vegas residents Joe and Katherine, after a long silence.
Joe Jackson confirmed by telephone on Saturday that "he made contact with me and his mother (Friday)." They had not communicated since Michael moved to Bahrain shortly after being acquitted of child molestation charges in California in May 2005.
The reconciliation is reported to have occurred after Joe and Katherine solicited Jack Wishna, a friend of the pop icon, to reopen the lines of communication.
Still under wraps is where Jackson wants to relaunch his career.
Both Jackson and Ortega have been associated with Steve Wynn, who transformed Siegfried & Roy into international stars with a major production show at The Mirage. Wynn's friendship with Jackson dates back decades. Jackson was often a guest of Wynn's at The Mirage, and there was talk Wynn was bringing Jackson to Las Vegas. Jackson listed Wynn as a character witness in his 2005 trial.
In his 2004 bio, Ortega said he was "overseeing the creation of a production" for Wynn.
Ortega's choreography credits include Madonna's "Material Girl" video, "Dirty Dancing," the opening ceremonies of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and Atlanta Summer Olympics, and world tours with Barbra Streisand, the Pointer Sisters, Cher, Gloria Estefan, Kiss and Diana Ross.
Jackson's comeback album is reported to be due out at the end of the year on the Bahrain-based label Two Seas Records.
Source:MJNO / paul(mjcool)