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David Winters: The Man Who Shaped American Entertainment — From West Side Story to Michael Jackson and Beyond

How a teenage dancer from London became Elvis Presley's choreographer, helped create the Emmy Award for choreography, launched Josh Brolin's career, befriended Michael Jackson — and why Dance Mogul Magazine was entrusted to celebrate his legacy.

By Dance Mogul Magazine  |  Originally featured 2012  |  Updated and expanded 2026

David Winters — Actor, Dancer, Choreographer, Director, Producer | Photo: Dance Mogul Magazine Archives

There are artists who define an era, and then there are artists who quietly build the infrastructure that makes eras possible. David Winters was both. His name may not carry the instant recognition of the legends he worked alongside — Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Ann-Margret, Paul Newman, Alice Cooper — but his fingerprints are on some of the most iconic moments in American entertainment history.

Dance Mogul Magazine had the honor of featuring David Winters while he was still alive, documenting his extraordinary journey in our Supporting Our Legacy section. That he entrusted this publication — a platform dedicated to empowerment and cultural preservation in the dance world — with his story speaks to what Dance Mogul Magazine represents: a home for every voice, every style, and every generation of dance excellence.

With the 2026 release of the Michael Jackson biopic Michael — which has grossed over $584 million worldwide and reignited global interest in the King of Pop's creative circle — David Winters' story has never been more relevant. He was the choreographer who worked directly with Michael Jackson on Diana Ross television specials. He was the man who noticed that a young Michael watched West Side Story almost every week. And he was part of the creative ecosystem that helped shape the performer who would become the greatest entertainer of all time.

From London to Broadway: The Making of a Prodigy

Born David Weizer in London, England, on April 5, 1939, to a Jewish family, David moved to the United States as a child and fell in love with dance by watching Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire on television, dancing along with them in his living room. An NBC talent agent discovered him performing in a Manhattan restaurant, and by the time he was 13, he was appearing on live television. By 16, he had appeared in 150 TV shows and 12 Broadway productions.

In 1954, he made his Broadway debut in the revival of On Your Toes, directed by George Abbott and choreographed by George Balanchine. He went on to appear in Shinbone Alley — which is where the legendary Jerome Robbins first noticed him.

After a single audition, Leonard Bernstein wrote in his notes about the young dancer: "Fine dancer. Real cute." David was cast as Baby John in the original 1957 Broadway production of West Side Story — one of the most revolutionary musicals in theater history. He later appeared in Gypsy and One More River before being cast by Robbins as A-Rab in the 1961 film version of West Side Story, which won 10 Academy Awards and became the highest-grossing motion picture of its year.

"Cool" from West Side Story (1961) — David Winters as A-Rab

Elvis Presley's Choreographer and the Emmy That Changed History

After West Side Story, David teamed up with a young Paul Simon in a singing duo called "David Winters and the West Siders." He then opened a dance school in Los Angeles, where his students included Ann-Margret, Raquel Welch, and Richard Chamberlain. Ann-Margret, who had just starred in Bye Bye Birdie, insisted that David choreograph Viva Las Vegas (1964) with Elvis Presley. That film launched a creative partnership that would span four Elvis Presley films and five Ann-Margret projects.

David choreographed the landmark 1976 remake of A Star Is Born starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. He choreographed the Nancy Sinatra Special with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dean Martin. He guest-starred and choreographed a special with Her Serene Highness Princess Grace Kelly in Monaco. He choreographed the first rock television series, Shindig!, and was choreographer, dancer, and singer on Hullabaloo, where he created the worldwide dance craze "The Jerk."

In 1970, he produced, directed, and choreographed Raquel! — Raquel Welch's first television special, also starring Tom Jones, John Wayne, and Bob Hope. The premiere captured a staggering 51% audience share on the national ratings and a 58% overnight share in New York — numbers that are essentially unheard of today. The production was filmed across Paris, London, and Mexico with costumes by Bob Mackie. He produced the Timex All-Star Swing Festival in 1972, a live concert featuring Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, and Benny Goodman — a special that won both a Peabody Award and a Christopher Award. He even choreographed dance numbers for the infamous 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special, collaborating again with director Steve Binder.

But one of David's proudest achievements was institutional, not performative. When the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences wanted to honor his choreography on the Nancy Sinatra Special, no Emmy category for choreography existed. So they created one — putting David into the "Special Classification of Individual Achievements" category. The following year, they wanted to nominate him again for The Ann-Margret Show, so they created a permanent "Outstanding Choreography" category. That Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography still exists today — and it exists because of David Winters.

Viva Las Vegas (1964) — Choreographed by David Winters

Shindig!, Hullabaloo, and the Stars He Launched

David was the choreographer for Shindig! (ABC, 1964–1966), the first rock-and-roll variety series on American television, and then moved to the competing NBC show Hullabaloo (1965–1966), where he appeared every three weeks as a choreographer, dancer, and singer. On both shows, he led a troupe known as the David Winters Dancers, who became a fixture of 1960s television.

The dancers under David's direction would go on to reshape entertainment in their own right. His Shindig! dancers included a young Teri Garr, who became an Academy Award-nominated actress, and his assistant choreographer was Toni Basil — later famous for her hit song "Mickey" and her role in Easy Rider. Both Garr and Basil were David's personal dance students. On Hullabaloo, two of his featured dancers were Michael Bennett and Donna McKechnie — Bennett would go on to create A Chorus Line, one of the most successful musicals in Broadway history, and McKechnie would win the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in that same show.

The Shindig! house band, the Shindogs, included a young Glen Campbell, Billy Preston, Leon Russell, and James Burton — all of whom became legends in their own right. David's choreography brought together rock, soul, jazz, and social dance on national television, introducing millions of viewers to movement that was raw, joyful, and culturally charged.

David Winters performing on Hullabaloo (1965)

The David Winters Dancers on Hullabaloo — featuring Michael Bennett and Donna McKechnie (1965)

David Winters singing on NBC's Hullabaloo — choreographer, dancer, and performer (1965)

The T.A.M.I. Show: A Cultural Landmark

In 1964, David choreographed the T.A.M.I. Show — one of the most important concert films ever made. The event, held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, featured performances by James Brown, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes (with a young Diana Ross), Chuck Berry, and Smokey Robinson. The go-go dancers who performed throughout the show under David's direction included Teri Garr and Toni Basil, both of whom would go on to major careers of their own.

In 2006, the Library of Congress deemed the T.A.M.I. Show "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry. David Winters choreographed that film.

The Monkees, Alice Cooper, Diana Ross — And the Birth of the Music Video

David directed the Emmy-winning television series The Monkees, where he is credited with creating what we now call music videos — filmed sequences combining music performance with narrative storytelling. He also created, staged, and produced The Monkees' World Tour. The opening act for that tour? A young, then-unknown musician named Jimi Hendrix. As Micky Dolenz wrote upon David's passing: "Not only did he direct a couple of episodes of the Monkees, but he staged and directed our very first concert show. He also became a good friend."

David created, produced, directed, and choreographed two Diana Ross World Tours, culminating in a command performance for President Ronald Reagan at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. He also produced two Diana Ross television specials in which he choreographed Michael Jackson, who appeared as a guest star. It was during this period — working on these Diana Ross projects — that David and Michael Jackson became close friends, a relationship that lasted until Michael's death in 2009.

David created, directed, and choreographed the Alice Cooper rock-and-roll spectacular world tour Welcome to My Nightmare. The show's success inspired him to make a concert film of it, which he released in 1,000 cinemas across the United States through his own company — something no independent filmmaker had ever done.

Alice Cooper: Welcome to My Nightmare — Directed by David Winters

The Michael Jackson Connection — And Why It Matters in 2026

David Winters first met Michael Jackson in 1971 while choreographing the Diana Ross television special Diana! — a moment that would forge one of entertainment's most quietly significant friendships. David noticed something extraordinary about the young Michael: he watched the film West Side Story almost every week. The same film David had helped create. The same choreography that had emerged from Jerome Robbins' vision and the raw energy of those original Jets. Michael Jackson paid tribute to West Side Story throughout his later works — and David was a living bridge between that world and Michael's own.

The connection is not coincidental. Michael Jackson's movement vocabulary — his precision, his rhythmic intensity, his ability to tell stories through the body — drew directly from the traditions that David Winters helped build. In 1981, David choreographed and served as creative consultant for the television special Diana, starring Diana Ross, Quincy Jones, and Michael Jackson. It was through these Diana Ross collaborations that the friendship deepened. David and Michael remained close until Michael's death on June 25, 2009.

The 2026 biopic Michael, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Michael's nephew Jaafar Jackson in his film debut, has become a cultural phenomenon. Released on April 24, 2026, the film debuted at $97 million domestically — the biggest opening weekend for any biographical or musical film in history, surpassing Straight Outta Compton. It opened to $120.4 million internationally, with $24.4 million from IMAX screens alone. As of May 2026, the film has grossed over $584 million worldwide, making it the fourth highest-grossing film of the year and the fifth highest-grossing biographical film of all time. The teaser trailer was viewed 116.2 million times in its first 24 hours — more than any trailer for a musical biopic in history. A sequel has been confirmed by Lionsgate, expected in fiscal year 2028.

The film traces Michael's journey from the Jackson 5 through the Bad World Tour at Wembley Stadium in 1988, and ends with the words "His story continues." The cast includes Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Miles Teller as John Branca, Laura Harrier as Suzanne de Passe, Kat Graham as Diana Ross, and Larenz Tate as Berry Gordy.

As the world rediscovers Michael Jackson through this film, the stories of the people who shaped him deserve to be told alongside him. David Winters choreographed Michael Jackson. David Winters directed the Monkees and launched the concept of the music video. David Winters created the Emmy for choreography. These are not footnotes — they are foundational chapters in the history of American entertainment.

The Producer Who Discovered Josh Brolin — and Wanted Johnny Depp

David's instincts for talent were legendary. When directing Thrashin' (1986) — a modern West Side Story on skateboards — he asked the investors twice to let him cast an unknown actor named Johnny Depp. They refused, saying "this kid will never make it." So David found another unknown: Josh Brolin. Brolin went on to earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in Milk and starred in the Academy Award-winning No Country for Old Men. The Thrashin' soundtrack introduced Meatloaf, The Bangles, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Fine Young Cannibals to the world — all of whom went on to have number-one hits.

After the Johnny Depp experience, David decided never again to make a film he did not completely control. Over the next eight years, he produced, directed, financed, and distributed 48 films through his own companies West Side Studios and Action International Pictures. Every single one of those 48 films turned a profit — a 100% success rate that stands as one of the most remarkable records in independent film history.

He later purchased Handmade Films — the prestigious UK production company founded by George Harrison of the Beatles — for £14.5 million, bringing its library of over 100 films (starring Sean Connery, Denzel Washington, Madonna, Michael Caine, Helen Mirren, and many more) under his management. Handmade's Planet 51, written by the writer of Shrek and Shrek II, was sold to Sony for all U.S. rights and released in 3,000 cinemas, grossing over $60 million.

David Winters — A career spanning Broadway, Hollywood, television, and global entertainment | Dance Mogul Magazine Archives

The Complete Legacy: Everyone David Winters Worked With

The scale of David Winters' career is staggering. A partial list of the artists he worked alongside reads like a who's who of 20th-century entertainment: Elvis Presley (personal choreographer for four films), Ann-Margret (choreographer and creative partner on seven projects), Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Quincy Jones, Alice Cooper, Paul Newman, Raquel Welch, Princess Grace Kelly, Lucille Ball, Paul Simon, Jimi Hendrix (opening act on a tour David produced), The Monkees (directed and produced their first concerts), Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman, Tom Jones, Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, Rudolf Nureyev, Josh Brolin, Robert Davi, Tony Curtis, Martin Landau, Christopher Plummer, Sally Kirkland, Elliot Gould, Joel Grey, John Rhys-Davies, Gary Busey, and the King of Thailand.

His dancers included future Oscar nominee Teri Garr, future pop star Toni Basil, future Tony-winning A Chorus Line creator Michael Bennett, and future Tony-winning actress Donna McKechnie. He choreographed James Brown, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, and Chuck Berry at the T.A.M.I. Show. He introduced the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Bangles, Meatloaf, and Fine Young Cannibals through the Thrashin' soundtrack. He directed Kenny Rogers in the two-year series Rolling on the River. He was the first tap dancer ever recorded for broadcast. He was one of only six cast members from the original Broadway West Side Story to be recast in the film.

He received two Emmy nominations, a Peabody Award, a Christopher Award, the Paris Film Festival Award, the Los Angeles Golden Scroll Award, the Sitges Film Festival Award, the Bangkok Film Festival Best Picture Audience Award, and the Silver Ten Award for Outstanding Film in Mumbai, India. He served as narrator for the King of Thailand's personal project, The Royal Project. He held both American and British citizenship and described himself as "a citizen of the world."

Why the Greats Entrust Dance Mogul Magazine With Their Legacy

David Winters chose Dance Mogul Magazine. He did not choose a mainstream outlet, a Hollywood trade publication, or a legacy media brand. He chose a platform built on the principle that every artist deserves to have their story told with dignity, depth, and respect. That choice speaks volumes — not just about David, but about what Dance Mogul Magazine represents in the wider dance industry.

The greats trust Dance Mogul Magazine because this publication has always understood that dance is not a side note to entertainment — it is the heartbeat. From hip-hop to ballet, from voguing to Broadway, from street dance to the highest levels of film and television — this is a publication that honors the full spectrum of movement culture.

David Winters' story is proof of what Dance Mogul Magazine has always believed: that a dancer's impact does not end at the stage door. It radiates outward — into choreography, into direction, into production, into the creation of entire industries. The Emmy for choreography exists because of a dancer. The concept of the music video was pioneered by a dancer. Josh Brolin's career was launched by a dancer. Michael Jackson's movement vocabulary was influenced by a dancer. Dance is not peripheral to American entertainment — it is foundational. And the people who build that foundation deserve to have their stories told.

David Winters understood that. And he chose Dance Mogul Magazine to help tell it.

The Legacy Continues

David Winters passed away on April 23, 2019, but the structures he built endure. Every time an Emmy is awarded for Outstanding Choreography, that is David's legacy. Every time a music video is filmed, the concept he pioneered with The Monkees lives on. Every time a young dancer watches West Side Story and feels something stir inside them — the same way Michael Jackson did, watching it almost every week — that is the chain of inspiration that David Winters helped forge.

As the Michael biopic continues its historic run at the global box office and a sequel is confirmed in development, the world is rediscovering the creative ecosystem that surrounded the King of Pop. David Winters was part of that ecosystem. He choreographed Michael Jackson. He befriended him. He saw the genius before the world did.

Dance Mogul Magazine will continue to honor these legacies — the seen and the unseen, the celebrated and the overlooked, the legends who walked the stage and the pioneers who built the stage itself. Because in dance, as in life, the foundation matters as much as the performance. And David Winters was one of the greatest foundations American entertainment has ever known.

David Winters West Side Story Michael Jackson Elvis Presley Diana Ross Ann-Margret Emmy Award Choreography TAMI Show Michael Biopic Dance Legacy Josh Brolin The Monkees Alice Cooper

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