EXCLUSIVE: LAS VEGAS DANCER AMONG MICHAEL JACKSON’S FINAL 12

Danielle Rueda-Watts, a former “Zumanity” dancer, has landed one of the 12 coveted spots on the dance troupe for Michael Jackson’s "This Is It" comeback.

Rueda-Watts has won the Pole-A-Palooza, a cabaret style acrobatic pole dance competition, the last two years at The Bank at Bellagio.

She listed her occupation after winning Pole-A-Palooza 2009 as a dancer The Penthouse Club.

A former resident of Somerville, Mass., Rueda-Watts took dance at The Boston Conservatory and studied aerial acrobatics in Canada before moving to Las Vegas to join “Zumanity.”

Jackson chose his 12 dancers from more than 5,000 applications. Eight of the 12 reside in the U.S. The others: Charles Klapow, Ricardo Reid, Tyne Stecklein, Misha Hamilton, Mekia Cox, Nicholas Base and Christopher Grant.

Klapow, a Grammy-winning choreographer for "High School Musical," formerly danced in Celine Dion shows. Stecklein of Colorado has performed in Las Vegas and Cox had a role in CBS' short-lived musical dramady "Viva Laughlin."

Jackson launches his comeback in London's O2 Arena in early July.

--NORM CLARKE, Vegas Confidential