PHOENIX -- Kevin Bender owns Bender Performing Arts in north Phoenix, but after more than 20 years, he still gets asked about his career making 'gig.'

“It was the highlight of my career for sure,” said Bender.

He’s talking about dancing with the one and only Michael Jackson.

The opportunity came on the set of Captain EO, a 3-D movie created as part of a first of it’s kind ride for the Walt Disney Parks.

Bender got emotional when he heard the news of Jackson’s death Thursday.

“Started getting some memories of what happened, you know, when I got the chance to work with him.”

The shoot lasted three weeks and during that time, Bender and the other dancers got to know Jackson.

He describes him as soft spoken, and a perfectionist with incredible energy.

“He would ya know work with us on choreography, ask questions. He was one of us really,” said Bender.

Through the years, Bender has been doing the same with his students and keeping an eye on his former employer’s career.

“When you worked with someone and you saw what a genius he was, it’s always very sad to see the decline of someone like that,” said Bender.

He says what saddens him most about the King of Pop’s death is that the next generation is missing out on such talent.

But as he told one young fan…

“We still have Michael’s music and we’ll always have his music.”

It's music that touched people’s lives all over the world.

MORE: 6 weeks before we know Michael Jackson's cause of death?