Antonia Christina Basilotta, лучше известная под сценическим именем Toni Basil, - американская певица, хореограф, танцовщица, актриса и режиссёр. Basil grew up in show business. Her father conducted orchestras in Chicago and Las Vegas. Her mother (along with siblings and cousins) was a member of the Australian acrobatic comedy act Billy Wells and the Four Fays, which was active from the 1940s through the 1960s.
Basil was born in Philly and grew up in Las Vegas, which is where she began her show biz career. Her career began in earnest in 1964: She was a dancer and assistant choreographer on Shindig! Show; that year she also appeared in Viva Las Vegas, Pajama Party, and Robin and the 7 Hoods. You can also see her dance or in supporting roles in Village of the Giants (1965), Head (1968), Sweet Charity (1969), Easy Rider (1969), Myra Breckinridge (1970), Five Easy Pieces (1970), The Last Movie (1971), Greaser’s Palace (1972) and Mother Juggs and Speed (1976).
Ранние шаги в шоу-бизнесе и танцевальная карьера
Coming from a vaudevillian family she started as a dancer, but swiftly moved into the choreographer’s and director’s chair with over 50 television, music video, and concert credits to her name. In 1971 she co-formed the street dance group The Lockers with Don Campbell, who introduced the style of dancing known as “locking” to the popular idiom. Toni is one of the 7 original lockers that is considered "the group that changed the face of dance." She is recognized as a seminal influence in bringing street dance to the attention of the American public.
She choreographed dances in American Graffiti (1973), David Bowie’s Diamond Dogs tour (1974), and Bette Midler’s The Rose (1979). She and The Lockers appeared on Saturday Night Live during the first season and also in later seasons of the show, as a singer and filmmaker, to perform in her urban style Swan Lake. Basil sang, solo, the swinging jazz number "Wham Rebop Boom Bam" in the first season of Saturday Night Live for the January 17, 1976, show with Buck Henry as host.
Начало музыкальной карьеры и работа в студии
Basil's recording career began in 1966 with a single for A&M Records, which was the title song of the short film Breakaway by artist Bruce Conner. The B-side was "I'm 28" written by Graham Gouldman, who later co-founded 10cc. She was signed to Warner Bros. Her Word of Mouth video album was nominated for both a Grammy Award and an MTV Video Music Award.
She sold out solo shows at The Roxy in Los Angeles in June 1976, and sang the song on The Merv Griffin Show. She starred, co-directed, and choreographed two self-titled BBC-television specials, which were re-aired in record time due to unprecedented audience response, and are credited as launching Mickey as a hit single in the U.K. Toni directed short art films. Pre-dating music videos, these avant garde pieces found a new audience and were exhibited at the Santa Monica Museum of Art and New York's Grey Art Gallery.
Прорыв и поп-карьера: «Mickey»
In 1982, her single "Mickey" achieved international success. In 1982 her life changed dramatically when she had a #1 hit with the song “Mickey”, a reworking of an older song “Kitty”, which she rejiggered with cheerleader chants recalled from her days cheering the Las Vegas High School Wildcats. The song is a cover of "Kitty", a 1979 release by the UK band Racey, written by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman and produced by the latter. The original song did not include the "Oh Mickey, you're so fine" chant, which Basil added. The video was conceived, directed, and choreographed by Basil for the UK-based label Radialchoice, before the inception of MTV in July 1981.
Issued on Chrysalis Records in September 1982 in the US, the song knocked Lionel Richie's "Truly" from No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December. It topped the chart in Canada where it was issued by Virgin Records. The 45 was quickly certified Gold and in early 1983 reached Platinum status for sales of over 2 million copies in the United States alone. The music video for "Mickey" was one of the most popular early MTV videos.
Интересные факты о «Mickey»
- If you were like me, you probably assumed Basil was 16 at the time, rather than the 38 she actually was when the song was recorded.
- During an interview on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of The 80's", Basil said that she still owns the same cheerleader sweater she wore in the video.
- Toni Basil received a double platinum record for her smash single Mickey and a Gold Album for 1981's Word Of Mouth, and holds the same from the UK, Canada and Australia.
Кино и хореография в дальнейшие годы
She choreographed for the films Peggy Sue Got Married (1986), That Thing You Do (1996), My Best Friend’s Wedding (1987), Legally Blonde (2001), Charlie Wilson’s War (2007), and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) and live performances of David Bowie, Bette Midler, Tina Turner, and others. Basil choreographed the film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood at the age of 75, and appeared in an uncredited cameo, wearing her trademark fedora and dancing with Margot Robbie on the Pan Am flight. Toni's most notable feature film credits include choreography for such classics as American Graffiti, and Legally Blonde.
She made several musical appearances on Saturday Night Live during its first season. In 1988 she starred in the B movie horror film Slaughterhouse Rock, with a soundtrack by Devo. She sang on one of the tracks. During this pop star phase she was romantically involved with Devo’s Gerald Casale. She recorded three of Devo’s songs on her 1982 album.
Награды, признание и влияние
A multiple Emmy Award and Grammy Award nominee, She has choreography and directorial credits on over 50 videos and has choreographed and co directed concerts for Tina Turner, David Bowie, Bette Midler, David Lee Roth, Mick Jagger as well as many others. Toni was presented with an Emmy award for a commercial featuring MC Hammer. Among her many accolades, Toni is an Emmy Award and two-time American Choreography Award winner, as well as a Grammy and MTV Music Award nominee. In 2008 she received the “Living Legend of Hip Hop” Award from Hip Hop International.
She is one of the 7 original lockers that is considered "the group that changed the face of dance." She is recognized as a seminal influence in bringing street dance to the attention of the American public. Toni Basil is a visionary, a multi award-winning choreographer, dancer, director, producer, recording artist and street dance historian.
Личность и стиль
As a classically trained dancer, Toni continues to dance and attend Locking, Hip Hop, and African dance classes by day, and underground dance clubs at night. She has immersed herself in the Latin music and dance scene, and has guest performed singing, dancing and playing percussion with the top Los Angeles based salsa bands. Continuing in the family tradition (her father- an orchestra leader and mother a vaudevillian) She has excelled in every entertainment medium; stage, music, commercials, television, film and video. Her unique form of artistic mastery is at the heart of all of her work.
| Год | Событие |
| 1964 | Дебют как танцовщица и ассистент-хореограф на Shindig!; роли в фильмах Viva Las Vegas, Pajama Party, Robin and the 7 Hoods |
| 1971 | Соучредитель The Lockers |
| 1973-1979 | Хореография для American Graffiti, Diamond Dogs tour, The Rose |
| 1982 | Международный хит "Mickey", режиссура и хореография клипа |
| 2019 | Хореография Once Upon a Time in Hollywood и камео |
She remains a true pioneer in the dance world, a visionary, and a genuine American treasure. She is not only alive but quite literally kicking…a living, vital connection to the Ed Sullivan days and everything in between.