Drowned Madonna: Your mother suggested you to become a comedian

Fred Tallaksen: Yes, I was always doing something silly at the dinner table to make my sisters laugh. My whole family was kind of quiet and conservative, but I was the opposite. I was always pretty outrageous and "over the top."

DM: You moved to New York City, as Madonna did..

FT: I moved to New York when I was 19 with $ 160 in my pocket and had to figure things out on my own too.... But it was so incredibly exciting... I should have been scared.... But I just loved it! I would take dance class all day and work at a restaurant on the weekends. It was really hard, but I never really noticed... I was so taking classes with the most amazing teachers and learning so much!

DM: What was your first show? How long did it take before you got your first role in a show?

FT: It took me about a year before my first professional jobs.... But my first big show was when I was 22.... It was the musical "Cats." There were about 100 guys at the audition and they were only looking for 1 guy as a replacement. I had to dance, sing and tumble all day. After about 7 hours they hired me! It was the most amazing feeling! I was on the top of the world!

DM: One of the turning point of your career was Starlight Express...

FT: Once I began working in NY as a dancer, all the new Broadway shows were revivals of older shows... Even though I was trained in old school Jazz, I wanted to do more contemporary choreography... I loved pop music so much.... And Starlight Express was the only one with that style of music. So I practiced roller-skating for the audition... And luckily I was cast.

DM: You are well-known as a specialist in choreographing for skaters, but everybody was saying "don't do it, you don't need to learn to skate".. Your Scranton dance teacher, Gail Ercoli, was the exception. Is it right?

FT: At that time in NY, all the teachers looked down on music video dancing.... All my teachers thought I should stay with Ballet and musical theater.... All but my first teacher Gail... She said, "what are you fucking crazy??? Do you wanna wear ballet tights???? Do it!" And so I did!

DM: This gave you the chance to work for Madonna. You flied to London and spent three weeks there in January teaching Madonna to dance on skates and choreographing her Sorry video. How did it happen?

FT: My agent is the same agent for Jamie King, Tony Selznick of MSA, and he made the suggestion. Jamie was interested, so I shot and edited a video tape with amazing roller skaters from LA and e mailed it to Jamie in Japan to show him some ideas.

DM: Was you thrilled when they wanted you as one of the choreographers?

FT: I was so thrilled when I was offered the job!

DM: Did you like the song?

FT: Yes, I loved the song... Actually I love the entire album! I have always been a huge Madonna fan, and have seen most of her concerts with my friends. I flew to London to work with her and I wasn't too nervous to meet her. I just knew she would be great....

DM: Which is your favorite track from Confessions on a Dance Floor?

FT: I especially love Jump!

DM: What happened during your three weeks in London teaching Madonna to skate? Any anecdotes?

FT: The first day was like an experiment... Everyone stayed in the room while we skated... Jamie, Stefanie, Tiffany, the body guards, the producers.... Everyone was watching me closely to see what I would do! She told me that she was going to hold onto me so she would not fall... Which was totally OK with me. It was her first time skating... EVER! That was when I started to get nervous! hahaha We skated like that, hand in hand for 3 hours and it was surreal! I kept asking myself in my head.. "Is this really happening???" Well, after that first day, Madonna said "I can do this!" and from that day on, she made everyone leave the room and we would have a private lesson for 2-3 hours of intense training everyday.

DM: Did you also teach her dancers to skate?

FT: After Madonna's skating lessons, I would train her dancers for 2-4 hours.... It was a lot of hard work, but everyone worked really hard.... Especially Cloud!

DM: Fred, you were not supposed to be in the Sorry video, but the day of the shot, Madonna decided she wanted to use a move she and you practiced and she didn't tried with anyone else. So, you were asked to be part of the dancers. Was it difficult to find out a costume and manage the whole thing at the last minute?

FT: You know the saying "time is money?" Well, every minute you waste on a shoot adds up... So, they had to find me a costume in 3 seconds flat! I didn't even go in a dressing room... I stripped to my underwear right there! It was so embarrassing!

DM: Do you like your costume?

FT: I hated the first costume they put on me.... I looked hideous! So, Thank God they let me try a different shirt! I liked it, and got to wear it!

DM: Are you satisfied of the roller skating scene on the video?

FT: Yes, I think the skating looks great! Madonna looks amazing!

DM: Would you like to choreograph the next video from Confessions on a Dance Floor?

FT: Is the Pope Catholic? hahaha

DM: You recently said press that Madonna wants you to be in a number of her upcoming tour (Confessions Tour). Is it right?

FT: No, that was a misquote... I'm choreographing a skating section of the tour... But I won't be going on tour with the cast.

DM: Madonna is already rehearsing in Los Angeles since early March. When will you start working with her and her dancers for the show?

FT: I've already started rehearsals and they are going great! I'm not allowed to say too much about the show... BUT believe me... It is going to be amazing! The other choreographers are incredible... (Rich & Tone Talauega ) The set and creative direction are incredible... All the dancers are incredible... The band is smoking! You are going to LOVE it!

DM: Which is your favourite Madonna's tour?

FT: Re-Invention tour was my fav tour!

DM: What would you say to Madonna's fans?

DM: And what about your favourite M's old song? 

FT: I love so many... But i guess "Burning Up"  And "Deeper and Deeper".

FT: Madonna's songs have been the soundtrack to all of our lives.... Getting a chance to work with her is like being in that movie... It's as amazing as you would expect! Rock on!

SECOND INTERVIEW

Now that the "Confessions Tour" has started, Fred Tallaksen - who is currently busy in Japan choreographing a show at Tokyo Disney Seas - agreed to chat with Drowned Madonna about the tour. He also confirmed some info we recently revealed: "Everybody" and "Deeper and Deeper" being part of the original provisional setlist, "La Isla Bonita" being meant to be performed before "Erotica", dancers getting injuried during the last month of rehearsals, Hypnosis' illeness in Las Vegas...

Drowned Madonna: What numbers did you choreograph or work on?

Fred Tallaksen: I choreographed "Disco Inferno" and "Music". Rich and Tone (Talauega) also did choreography on "Music".

DM: "Everybody" was originally included in the provisional setlist. Why hasn't it been included in the final setlist? And what about "Deeper And Deeper"?

FT: I don't think they were fitting into the show vibe.... But I'm not really sure...

DM: Why Did Madonna changed her mind at the last minute.. and performs "Erotica" before "La Isla Bonita"?

FT: I think because the dancers were just jamming to the remix and she liked what she saw. But once again, I'm not sure....

DM: What are your memories of the Opening Night?

FT: Opening Night was just amazing... There were 16,000 screaming fans going berserk during my numbers and it was probably the most exciting opening night I've ever had! I went with my friends and assistant, April Corely (Madonna's skating double from "Sorry" and my assistant on "Confessions Tour") we rented a limo and were drinking champagne! I had my best friends with me... and they were as excited as I was!

DM: What were the hardest parts of the tour?

FT: The hardest part of the tour was the last month of rehearsals. Everyone was really exhausted. The dancers were all getting injured.. and yet they kept on rehearsing. It was hard for me to push them to skate harder when they were so tired. I was really afraid that someone was going to get so hurt that would have to quit the tour. But everyone pulled through! I really LOVE all the dancers on the tour... I honestly really love them! Another thrilling part is that April got to go on tour with the show! She's on tour with Madonna! It's the greatest! She's there to make sure all the skating issues get dealt with. And in Vegas, Hypnosis was sick, and she was IN THE SHOW TOO! She did his part! How awesome is that! He's better now!

DM: Which is you favourite segment/choreography?

FT: I love "Like it or Not" choreographed by Liz Imperio. It's so hot! I also love all of Rich and Tone's work! They are amazing!

DM: Is "Confessions Tour" your favourite M's tour?

FT: Yes!

DM: Now that you worked with Madonna on a tour, what can you say about this experience? Was it how you expeceted it to be?

FT: It was not what I expected it to be.... It was a lot harder and crazier... and even though I thought was had a lot of time (3 months), we were still, always, behind schedule and fighting and rushing to catch up. It was incredibly hard on everyone. But they greatest and most amazing part was how everyone helped each other... Everyone helped pull each other through. Jamie's assistant Stefanie Roos is so unbelievable smart, talented, kind and generous. She held the cast together. I must say, she deserves a ton of credit. The whole experience is something I will never forget!

DM: Thank you so much for chatting with us again. We wish you all the best.

CREDITS

Pictures by Lee Cherry. All the others are caps from the Sorry video.