Vincent Paterson was honoured at the 2026 Dancers Against Cancer Gala of the Stars last week, receiving the Vanguard Award at a ceremony held at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.
The director and choreographer was presented with the award by Tony Selznick and Julie McDonald during the star-studded event, hosted by Maks Chmerkovskiy.
Paterson is known for his work with Michael Jackson and Madonna, including his involvement in Michael’s Bad era and the Smooth Criminal short film, as well as Madonna’s Blond Ambition World Tour and her Vogue performances.
During his acceptance speech, Paterson spoke about his career in dance, describing it as the language he had spoken for more than 50 years and explaining how it had opened doors to new creative possibilities.
He became emotional when discussing his work with Michael and Madonna, telling the audience: “Sorry, I get very emotional talking about Michael. I’m so grateful that the work I got to do with Michael and Madonna let me know that I had a hand in changing pop culture.”
Michael’s younger sister, Janet Jackson, was also among those attending the gala.
