LOS ANGELES - THE King of Pop seemed driven and upbeat in the weeks, even hours, before his death as he rehearsed rigorously for a series of 50 concerts in London that were to begin a late-career comeback.

Friends and colleagues said on Friday that Jackson appeared in recent months to be rejuvenated by the prospect of performing again.

After years of seclusion following a child sex scandal, the pop icon was heavily involved in all aspects of the concert rehearsals.

He had hired a personal trainer and was practicing with backup dancers and choreographers several hours a day, they said.

'He was working hard, setting the example, overseeing the choreography, kicking butt and taking names,' said Johnny Caswell, president of CenterStaging Musical Productions Inc, a Burbank sound stage where Jackson rehearsed until late May. 'He was ready to blow everybody out of the water. This was going to be the biggest extravaganza, entertainment spectacle ever.'

Jackson was involved in all areas of planning, including watching auditions and choosing the backup dancers who would appear with him, said Maryss Courchinoux, a 29-year-old dancer from Paris who sought a place on stage with Jackson.

Ms Courchinoux said she had been selected as a backup dancer for the London concerts and had been fitted for a costume. She had been invited to Thursday's rehearsal in Los Angeles to meet Jackson and watch the practice to help prepare for her role, she said.

On the same day, Jackson was pronounced dead after collapsing at his home in Holmby Hills, a swanky neighbourhood near Bel Air.

Ms Courchinoux recounted how Jackson was in the audience as she auditioned in April, when she performed a set routine and then was asked to do freestyle dances - a hip-hop style called 'pop-ins.'

From the stage, she could make out Jackson's profile and his glasses where he sat in the empty auditorium. Friends later told her that Jackson jumped up and applauded after her group performed.

'I knew it was him, and I knew I was in his presence,' she said. 'In a way, I feel blessed that we got to dance in his presence, and I was looking forward to meeting him yesterday,' she said, choking back tears.

'It was my dream since I was six years old. I guess there was a different plan.' -- AP

Read also:
An online landmark
Twittered and Facebooked
Drug abuse warnings renewed
No foul play, no verdict
Painkillers cited as cause
Fate of Jacko's kids unclear
'This is It' now big headache
Vatican paper hails MJ
La Toya scene out of Bruno
Police seeking clues
Jacko's death sparks brawl
Worldwide vigils for MJ
Worth 'more dead than alive'
Loyal fans in Japan
MJ feared ending up like Elvis
He's not breathing