Exclusive: Five Questions With Beyonce’s Choreographer Frank Gatson
BOSSIP Exclusive: Five Questions With Beyonce’s Choreographer Frank Gatson
Beyonce’s Choreographer Frank Gatson Reveals What It’s Like Working For The Star As He Launches Show To Find Next Great Girl Group
The man who has choreographed everyone from Beyonce to En Vogue to Michael Jackson is bringing his talents to TV. Frank Gatson – who choreographed Bey’s “Single Ladies” video, is Luke James’ manager and who danced in MJ’s “Smooth Criminal” video, partnered with longtime friend Kelly Rowland for the BET reality show “Chasing Destiny,” where the pair search for the next iconic all-girl group. He spoke to BOSSIP last week at a show screening in NYC about “Chasing Destiny,” and what it’s like to work with Bey, Kelly and The King of Pop.
BOSSIP: Why’d you decide to do this show?
Gatson: “Kelly talked to me about the show, and I said ‘Wow, that would be really great, because that’s what I do: create stars. I help create stars. And so when she talked about it, I said I wanted to do it. She said it was going to be reality TV, and we started working with the producers to try to make it reality TV, we had to really stay strong and say, ‘Frank and I have been doing exactly what you’re trying to film for the last 30 years – 60 years together, so let us do us.’ Once they did that, I said ‘Great!’ I knew it was going to mean something. People get to see the realness of what it is. It’s the real, real. I’m excited about that. I’m honored to be part of it. It’s just a magical moment.”
BOSSIP: You’ve enjoyed a 40-year career in entertainment. Who has been your favorite artist to work with, and why?
Gatson: “I love working with Beyonce, because she just gets it. I love working with Destiny’s Child as a whole, and I don’t want to be unfair to Michelle and Kelly, it’s just that they weren’t doing as much as Beyonce. Beyonce got to do things on big scales like stadiums, every TV show, so we just have fun. Right now, I’m not working with Beyonce because I just don’t have the time, but luckily, I have protégés that I’ve trained…right now they’re probably pulling their hair out while I’m here chilling, talking about a show I’m doing. And the Michael Jackson would be great when all his people would let us work. The great thing about Beyonce’s camp is that they would get out of the room and let us work. Michael Jackson’s people were always protecting him, so the magical times with Michael Jackson were when no one was around and we could just be creative.”
BOSSIP: What was it like working with Michael Jackson?
Gatson: “My favorite story was when Michael’s mom came to set. She was eating popcorn – you know how when you’re eating popcorn, and salt gets on your fingers? And you do like this to get it off (rubs his fingers together.) She did that. And I knew I could make it. I said, ‘My mom does that.’ And then I knew they were black folks just like me. And then I got to know Michael, and he was that brother. He was that guy from Gary, Indiana. He was nice, he was humble, he was sweet. He could work his butt off. I learned from him that when it was time to do wardrobe, have the wardrobe in the room so you can feel the outfit, and stylize with it. ‘Frank, where’s the hats? Where’s the jackets?’ So it was incredible. I’m so fortunate to have done that.”
BOSSIP: What was your most memorable time filming “Chasing Destiny”?
Gatson: “Episode four. It didn’t stick out in my mind when we did it. I just saw it recently, and the end, the last seven minutes of it is just absolute magic. In episode four, we decided not to have any dialogue. We just let the girls sing back to back, one by one. And it’s so organic. I mean it’s magical. I’ve watched it three times now, and a tear comes at the same time at the same place.”
BOSSIP: Tell us about this new all girls group.
Gatson: “Six episodes in, you’ll see who it is, and you’ll see us get right into working with them. And also I think they’re going to let me direct a video of theirs, so that should be fun. We do have one single that LA (Reid) likes, we don’t have a name yet though.”
This interview was edited for space and clarity.
“Chasing Destiny” premieres April 5 at 9 p.m. on BET.
