The Man Behind the Throne Page #2

I'm excited to do some more,

but I'm so beat.

"Montreal, July 2.

"The New York Times

called me last night

"for their front-page article

about Michael.

"I realised that the show

I'm doing about Elvis

"could easily be translated

into a show about Michael Jackson.

"I feel a fascinating connection

with Michael and Elvis,

"and blessed to have both

of their spirits watching over me

"and... guiding me on this path."

One, two...

...I want to involve every genre

in which I've worked in my life.

One, two, three, four,

five, six, seven, eight.

I've been with Vincent,

like, over 20 years, probably.

Worked with Michael Jackson

with him, Smooth Criminal.

There was a ton of commercials

with him, movies.

I've assisted him,

I've helped him choreograph,

but this is the first time that

he went, "Here. This one's yours.

"I'm gonna direct this.

I need you to choreograph this."

One, two, a-three, four,

five, six, seven...

It's very different for him

because he's, you know, so used to

directing and choreographing.

And I think it's the first time

he's ever handed anything to anybody

and it was a big gift on his part,

to give that part up,

'cause it's very hard for him to do.

When I was first approached to do

this project by Cirque du Soleil,

they would like me to create a show

that DIDN'T have acrobatics in it,

that was basically music and dance.

And I said, "No, you know,

I want to put acrobatics in it,

"but I want to find a way where the

acrobatics have an emotional impact,

"where they fit into

the biography of Elvis Presley."

- To sink in the position and stay in it.

- Mm-hm.

And breathe in it and then move.

- Yes, so we can enjoy it.

- Yeah.

For him, a dance is a scene.

He makes people want to find out

who their characters are -

what is your name?

Where did you come from?

What is your story?

He lets people know that

no matter where you are on stage,

you are a vital part of his picture.

I had no thoughts about dance

being any part of my life.

It was really about theatre.

It really wasn't until I was 25 when

I really got hooked into the dance.

And once I took my first

dance class,

it was like

those endorphins started flowing

and it was like a drug hitting me,

and it was like, "Wow!"

The education I had had

in the theatre

gave me all of that

internal workings.

I would put the role on,

I would put the character on.

And that's how

I got the role in Beat It.

All the other guys

who would come into the room

came in looking like dancers.

And I came in

looking like the character

that they were looking for -

the leader of a gang.

- Beat it

- Beat it

- Beat it

- Beat it

No-one wants to be defeated...

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