Inkster native on a mission to preserve Detroit Jit

Inkster native on a mission to preserve Detroit Jit

(CBS DETROIT) - Dancing his way around the globe, an Inkster native is taking the spirit of Motown from coast to coast and across seas one dance move at a time.

"They call me 'Mike Manson dat be Dancin'," said Michael Manson Jr. "What I push is our native style, Detroit Jit, that's what I'm known for."

Jit is a form of dance native to Detroit, blending elements of African dance, modern, jazz, and tap with fast moves and fancy footwork, and it's taken Manson more places than ever imagined.

"I taught in Bolivia, giving back to the community. I taught in Paris, giving back to the community," he said. "D.C., Minnesota, it goes on. If I tell you every place I've been, you would think I'm stroking my own ego."

Regardless of how far he's traveled, his heart has always stayed true to home dancing for the Detroit Pistons, native Detroit rapper, Tee Grizzley, and even representing Detroit on the national stage as a contestant on a reality TV dance competition show.

"That was a good move, and it was a dope experience," Manson said.

Aside from performing and teaching Jit across the globe on a mission to preserve its history and relevance, Manson is also a single father balancing his passion and parenting on a daily basis.

"God, faith," he said. "On the day-to-day, I don't realize how hard it is, or I don't focus on how hard it is, I should say, because I have to move with faith."

And with faith and a whole lot of footwork on his side, Manson said you haven't seen the last of him yet because there's so much more to come. 

In:
• Detroit

Lauren Winfrey

A native of Detroit, Lauren Winfrey has dreamed of the day she'd return home to tell stories in the city that's helped shape the woman she is today. So, when the opportunity to wake up early with Detroit and its surrounding areas to anchor the weekend morning newscast presented itself, she accepted it without hesitation.