Vincent Paterson: Special Guest at BBB HAVANA 2025

Renowned American director and choreographer Vincent Paterson will be one of the special guests at Ballet Beyond Borders (BBB) HAVANA 2025.
Paterson’s illustrious career spans cinema, theater—including Broadway—concert tours, operas, music videos, television, and commercials, earning accolades across the globe. His groundbreaking choreography for iconic pop figures like Madonna and Michael Jackson has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry.
For Madonna, Paterson crafted the choreography for Express Yourself and Vogue, including the unforgettable portrayal of Marie Antoinette during her performance of Vogue at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards. He also played a pivotal role in The Blond Ambition World Tour, a production that revolutionized live performances and redefined global concert tours with its spectacular innovation.

For Michael Jackson, Paterson’s contributions spanned over 15 years, choreographing landmark projects such as the Bad Tour and the Smooth Criminal music video, which won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Music Video. He also conceived the choreography for Blood on the Dance Floor and numerous other videos and live performances, including Jackson’s appearances at the Grammy Awards and the legendary Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Paterson’s directorial achievements extend to opera, where he has worked with soprano Anna Netrebko multiple times, and film, where he choreographed the musical sequences for Lars von Trier’s Dancer in the Dark, which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. His direction of Anna Netrebko: The Woman, The Voice earned a nomination for Best Television Program at the Montreux Film Festival and became the best-selling classical DVD in European history.
In Las Vegas, Paterson directed, co-wrote, and co-choreographed the Cirque du Soleil production Viva Elvis, which ran for over 1,000 performances.
His choreography for films includes The Birdcage and Closer, directed by Mike Nichols; Evita, directed by Alan Parker; and Hook (released in Spanish-speaking regions as El Regreso del Capitán Garfio), directed by Steven Spielberg. On television, he directed and choreographed TNT’s In Search of Dr. Seuss, which received seven Emmy nominations. He also earned a Tony nomination for his choreography in the musical Kiss of the Spider Woman, directed by Hal Prince, with productions in Toronto, London’s West End, and Broadway.
BBB HAVANA 2025 will take place in Cuba’s capital from January 7 to 11, with a Special Gala on January 13 at the Tomás Terry Theater in Cienfuegos, a city in the central region of the island.

The event, organized by Rocky Mountain Ballet Theater (USA) and Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba, will host prominent figures from Cuba and abroad, including Vincent Paterson, who met Lizt Alfonso, the celebrated Cuban director and choreographer, during a Ballet Beyond Borders event in Los Angeles.
In addition to his role as a special guest, Paterson will serve as a juror for the Dance Challenge competition.
Source: Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba
Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez