233. Toni Basil: The Extraordinary Life and Art of the “Hey Mickey” Hitmaker

Behind the Curtain: The Extraordinary Life and Art of Toni Basil Featuring legendary Choreographer, Dancer, Director, Producer, Recording Artist, Historian, and “Hey Mickey” hitmaker Toni Basil in a rare, intimate conversation! We explore her remarkable career spanning decades in entertainment, from backstage memories as Vaudeville royalty to collaborating with icons like Elvis Presley, David Bowie, Bette Midler, and Tina Turner.  Here’s what you’ll discover: – How Toni’s behind-the-scenes childhood at the Chicago Theater shaped her love for performance  – The creative process behind Elvis’ in “Viva Las Vegas” assisting David Winters  – Her unexpected journey to becoming co-director for David Bowie after connecting through their shared mime vocabulary – Insights on working with superstars who “care about their legacy” and the work ethic behind true stardom This conversation reveals how following your artistic intuition—even when it leads to unexpected places—can create a lifetime of extraordinary creative collaborations. Toni’s fascinating stories illuminate how being fully present in each moment helped her navigate a groundbreaking career across film, television, and music. Watch the full episode here. Show Notes: Follow Toni on: IG: officialtonibasil X:Toni_Basil YouTube: ToniBasilsHouse TikTok: officialtonibasil Listen to Toni’s re-release of “Breakaway” Watch Hey Mickey  Watch Toni in West Side Story Watch Toni’s parents’ Vaudville Act Watch Toni’s aunt and uncle in a silent film from 1919 Watch Toni’s judges’ demo from Street Beat 2024 Watch Street Beat Watch Shopping A-Z For more DANA For coaching with me, join the WTMM COMMUNITY  To donate to WTMM through our Fiscal Sponsor, THE DANCE RESOURCE CENTER To shop for GOODIES & SERVIES Watch and Subscribe on YOUTUBE  Stay connected with us on