Los Angeles  - Janet Jackson is to pay tribute to her brother Michael at the opening of the MTV Video Music Awards show on Sunday, MTV announced.

MTV said that Janet would look back at the megastar's life and career. Kryiss Grant, one of the dancers who will appear at the awards, told website TMZ. com that 20 dancers were rehearsing the segment almost 15 hours a day and that "there won't be a dry eye in the house" after Janet is finished.

Michael Jackson is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of music videos and his 1984 mini-film of the song Thriller is hailed as one of the most influential videos of all time.

Jackson died June 25 and was buried September 3 at the Grand Mausoleum of the historic Forest Lawn Memorial Park.(dpa)