2015 Dance Icon Award goes to… Vincent Paterson

It is actually very difficult to come up with the words to describe the level of exultance to present the most prestigious award, Dance Icon Award, to Mr. Vincent Paterson. If you have ever experienced any style of entertainment – from film to music videos to Broadway to concert tours, this man has dabbed his brilliance in all of the above. And we’re talking ICONIC work including Michael Jackson’s BAD Tour and Madonna’s Blonde Ambition tour.

Industry Dance Awards is absolutely honored to have Mr. Vincent Paterson accept the Dance Icon Award at this year’s award show on Aug. 19th!

Learn more about Vincent Paterson —
Vincent directed and choreographed Berlin’s first original production of the musical CABARET at Bar Jeder-Vernunft, a mirror-tent from 1918. It is the longest running play in Berlin’s history.

Vincent’s direction of the play GANGSTA LOVE, set in a boxing club, earned him a Los Angeles Drama-Logue award for Outstanding Director. He directed Prague’s National BlackLight Theater in a stunning version of GULLIVER’S TRAVELS.

Vincent is the Director, Writer, and Co-Choreographer of Cirque du Soleil’s, VIVA! ELVIS in Las Vegas with over 1,000 performances.

Vincent directed the critically acclaimed opera MANON with soprano Anna Netrebko, conducted by Placido Domingo. The opera has been performed in Los Angeles, Berlin and Valencia, Spain. His direction of ANNA NETREBKO: THE WOMAN, THE VOICE received a nomination for ‘Best Television Arts Program’ at the Montreaux Film Festival. The DVD is the top selling classical DVD in European history.

As a director and choreographer, Vincent created many works for Madonna and Michael Jackson including Madonna’s BLOND AMBITION TOUR (on which the film, TRUTH OR DARE is based), and her legendary Marie Antoinette VOGUE performance for MTV and the choreography for her videos EXPRESS YOURSELF and VOGUE. For Michael Jackson, with whom he worked for over 15 years, Vincent created the BAD TOUR, as well as SMOOTH CRIMINAL and BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR and multiple other Jackson music videos and live performances, from the Grammy to the SUPERBOWL HALFTIME SHOW.

Vincent directed and choreographed the musical sequences in Lars Von Trier’s film, DANCER IN THE DARK, winner of the Palme D’or at the Cannes Film Festival.

Vincent’s short film, THRENODY, a dance-performance perspective on the tragedy of 9/11 has been broadcast nationally and won the Gold Prize at the Houston Film Festival. It was produced and shot by Joe Pytka.

Among the many films he choreographed are THE BIRDCAGE and CLOSER for director Mike Nichols, EVITA for director Alan Parker, HOOK for Steven Spielberg.

The TNT Telefilm, IN SEARCH OF DR. SEUSS, which Vincent directed and choreographed, received seven Emmy nominations.

He choreographed London’s West End production of LENNY for director Sir Peter Hall and LA Opera’s GRAND DUCHESS for director Garry Marshall.

Vincent received a Tony nomination for choreographing Hal Prince’s KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN.

He has directed commercials through DarkLight Productions and has choreographed over 150 commercials, many winning awards in collaboration with director, Joe Pytka.

Vincent has also directed many charitable events, among them 3 star-studded benefits for Alzheimer’s Organization. Each show Featureded highlights from Broadway musicals and starred luminaries from Broadway and hit TV series. He also directed 2 stellar benefits for APLA, featuring performers Madonna, Liza Minnelli, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, Kenny Logins, Nathalie Cole, Billy Joel, Elton John, Patty Austin, Sarah Brightman, Wynona Judd, Eddie Van Halen, and Sheila E.

He directed LOVING THE SILENT TEARS, a new musical with international stars, for two sold-out performances at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Vincent has also lectured around the world. He has spoken at the Cinematheque Francaise in Paris, The International Dance Festival in Monaco, The Lincoln Center Film Society, Dickinson College (where he received a Fellowship) and on several occasions at the Lincoln Center West Director’s Lab. He has taught acting in Los Angeles and dance around the world from Tokyo to Berlin to Los Angeles. He received his BA in Theater Arts from Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pa.

He has been a judge on televised Talent programs in Los Angeles and China.

He has worked with a star-studded list of musicians: Madonna, Michael Jackson, Van Halen, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, Lee Ann Rimes, Diana Ross, Lionel Ritchie, David Lee Roth, Slash, Whitney Houston, to name a few.

Vincent is featured in the best selling, Smithsonian publication, Masters of Movement: Portrait’s of America’s Greatest Choreographers. The Swedish documentary about Vincent’s life and career, THE MAN BEHIND THE THRONE, is being shown internationally.