The Man Behind the Throne

Director Kersti Grunditz in person!

Note: Due to a technical problem during the Dance and Community program, a screening of the short Gimp – The Documentary has been added to this program.

Until now, Vincent Paterson has remained the dance world's best kept secret, avoiding the spotlight and concentrating on the work itself. So it may come as a surprise to learn that he is, as the film's title suggests, the man behind the careers of superstars Michael Jackson and Madonna—in fact, the inventor of some of their defining dance moves—as well as the choreographer who created the ensemble dance numbers for Björk and dancers in Lars von Trier's Dancer in the Dark. Through previously unseen rehearsal footage from Paterson's own private collection and iconic films clips that made history (Smooth Criminal, Blonde Ambition and more), the film looks at the private Vincent. From his family oriented Catholic boyhood in suburban Pennsylvania to the glamor factory of Hollywood and the heady experience of choreographing for Cirque du Soleil's Viva Elvis!, this is a personal and professional journey to be savored.

Screening with:

It’s a Feeling: Dancing with Jeff Selby. Diana Quinones Rivera, USA, 2013; 9m
Jeff Selby has found his niche: As a dancer and teacher he inspires others but it could have been different. This engaging short establishes how family support and the love of dance have kept him on track through hard times growing up in a tough Brooklyn neighborhood. Connecting to the sound of House Music he is moved to create his dynamic trademark New Style Hustle.

Gimp – The Documentary. Richard Move, USA, 2011; 14m
Challenging the prevalent societal precepts about the nature of beauty, the dancer and the dance, this powerful film also makes visible an often invisible demographic, as it captures the creative process, performance and public response to the theatrical dance work “The GIMP Project” by Heidi Latsky Dance.