Icons and Instincts: Choreographing and Directing Entertainment's Biggest Stars

by Vincent Paterson, Amy Tofte (With)

Overview

For the first time, the choreographer of Michael Jackson, Madonna, Björk and many others reveals stage stories through his extraordinary journey.

Vincent Paterson began his professional dancing career late in life. It would take an exceptional turn when he became one of the lead dancers in Michael Jackson's Beat It music video. Through hard work, he rises to the rank of choreographer and director for the world's greatest singers, but also for cinema and musical comedy.

He tells with humility the fascinating universe of film sets, the rehearsal sessions where he had to orchestrate and synchronize dozens of dancers, life backstage where it is sometimes necessary to manage a few whims of the stars, his successes and his disappointments. It is a dive into the heart of the world of dance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781644282632
Publisher:	Rare Bird Books
Publication date:	09/13/2022
Pages:	264
Sales rank:	402,938
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 6.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Vincent Paterson is a world-renowned director and choreographer in film, theatre, Broadway, concert tours, opera, television, music videos and commercials. His iconic works include Michael Jackson’s Smooth Criminal and the famous “lean” as well as Madonna’s Blond Ambition Tour. He directed the opera Manon with Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon, Cirque de Soleil’s VIVA! ELVIS and Berlin's first original production of CABARET—the longest running play in Berlin's history. Film choreographies include The Birdcage, Dancer in the Dark, Evita and Hook. He resides in California with his husband, Rene Lamontagne.









Amy Tofte was awarded the prestigious Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2015. She has been a regular contributor to the award-winning LA STAGE Times with more than 100 feature articles profiling Emmy winners, Oscar- and Pulitzer-nominated writers as well as nationally recognized theater artists. Tofte’s critically-acclaimed stage plays have been produced throughout the U.S., the U.K., Australia and at the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival. She lives in Los Angeles.

Table of Contents

Introduction 9

Chapter 1 Having No Talent and Too Old to Dance 11

Chapter 2 The Boy Most Like Jesus Comes to Hollywood 27

Chapter 3 M(adonna) is for Muse 46

Chapter 4 Let's Get Physical 62

Chapter 5 Shirley, Diana, and Hal… Oh, My! 73

Chapter 6 The Electric Socket of Creativity 94

Chapter 7 Santa Evita 100

Chapter 8 When Instinct Grabs You by the Throat 121

Chapter 9 Choreographers Still Don't Get Oscars 129

Chapter 10 A Danish, an Eskimo Pie, and Buttons for Lunch 141

Chapter 10½ One Hundred Cameras. Really. 166

Chapter 11 From Russia with Love 173

Chapter 12 Come to the Cabaret 186

Chapter 13 More Michael 199

Chapter 14 Gurus and Guiding Lights 227

Chapter 15 Entrances and Exits 238

Timeline 243

Acknowledgments 245

Editorial Reviews

Vincent’s work is always imaginative and exciting, from his choreography for pop stars to his direction of a production of Evita I saw in Vienna, for which he found heart 

and nuance in the characters I hadn’t seen before. I look forward to his 

sharing some of his ‘secrets’ in this book.”

—Stephen Schwartz, composer of Wicked, Pippin, and Godspell

 

“The collaborations between Vincent Paterson and Michael Jackson and Madonna 

are groundbreaking.”

—Toni Basil, choreographer and performer (“Mickey!”)

“The impressive history of Vincent Paterson’s work and collaboration 

with iconic artists is phenomenal and will last forever.”

—Barbara Mandrell

“Vincent’s depth as a director created an inspiring adventure 

on the creation of the opera, Manon.”

—Anna Netrebko, Opera Diva

“Vincent Paterson’s ingenious style of dance captivated millions of people.”

—Paula Abdul

“[The Way You Make Me Feel] surely is the best video ever made.” 

—Steven Spielberg

“I look at your work and think how wonderful it is 

and how much you have given me and the picture (The Birdcage).” 

—Mike Nichols

“You are so talented and it’s always a pleasure to collaborate with you.”

—Madonna, The Blond Ambition Tour

From the Publisher