Bruno Falcon, a well-known dancer who notably collaborated with Michael Jackson, died on July 2 at the age of 58. According to his sister Diana Wolgamott, he died of natural causes.
The announcement was made on his official Facebook page in a post titled:
“It is with grief and emotion that I inform you that Bruno died yesterday.” Bruno was a wonderful, kind, and generous man. He always had that bright smile that warmed our hearts. A one-of-a-kind and incredible talent. Along with Michael Jackson, he will be remembered as the greatest dancer of all time. We are all thinking of Bruno’s family and sending our love to them. “The king is Bruno ‘Pop N’ Taco’ Falcon.”
Everything there is to know about Bruno Falcon
Bruno Falcon, aka ‘Pop N Taco,’ was born on June 10, 1964, in Long Beach, California, and attended Poly High School. In the 1980s, the East L.A. native rose to prominence as a dancer, choreographer, and actor. Throughout his career, he collaborated with a number of artists and choreographers.
Falcon is most recognized for his work with Michael Jackson, including his participation in the Smooth Criminal music video. He may be seen in the video doing the “anti-gravity lean,” which he taught to the pop star. On the singer’s Dangerous tour, the dancer also served as a creative consultant.
Falcon has collaborated with a wide range of artists during his career, including Lionel Richie (on All Night Long), Chaka Khan (on I Feel For You), and members of the Jackson family. He invented his own locking method and appeared as Electro Rock 1 in the cult classic film Breakin’.
Other films in which Falcon appears include Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, Electric Boogaloo, and Captain EO. He also choreographed the 1994 animated feature Thumbelina. During the 1980s, Falcon was one of the few Mexican hip-hop dancers. In an interview, he remarked that many people might now accept that a person of Mexican descent could pop (as reported by All Hiphop):
“No one believed there could be a Mexican who could pop.” They’d challenge me in front of the whole school, a party, or at a high school dance. They’d appear out of nowhere, right in front of your face.”
Twitter users pay tribute
Fans raced to Twitter shortly after Bruno Falcon’s death was reported to express their grief and pay respect to the great dancer and choreographer. Here are some of the most touching tributes:
I’ve said this many times on here. Breakin’ was a major part of my intro to the culture as a kid. I know dialogue from it verbatim. I used to copy all the moves. And this man was my favorite. RIP to the legend Bruno “Pop n Taco” Falcon. https://t.co/3VCdDTcmxQ pic.twitter.com/Ey2658n8Wi
— Dee Phunk (@DeePhunk) July 3, 2022
Many hip-hop giants, including B-Boy Crazy Legs, D-Styles of The Beat Junkies, and Rhettmatic, have paid respect to Bruno Falcon on social media.
