“Labyrinth”: Toby Froud’s ‘Magic Dance’ David Bowie Tribute

These past two months have been extremely difficult for art lovers the world over.  First we lost Lemmy Kilmister from Motorhead after a battle with cancer, THEN we lost David Bowie two days after his 69th birthday from cancer, and finally we lost Alan Rickman, also from cancer.  The world is still in mourning, and it still hurts.

I actually just came back from a trip to New York City to see some Broadway shows with my housemates, and the timing happened to sync up so I could visit the growing David Bowie shrine outside the SoHo appointment he shared with his wife Iman.

It was an experience, and I’m glad I got to say goodbye.  I met him briefly many years ago, backstage in passing at a concert.  I was so damn scared to say the wrong thing I could only say “Thank you, I love you”, as he walked by.  He turned around to look at me, smiled, and said “I love you too, tiny muse”.  Bowie was larger than life, and his absence is felt for his influence on art and music.

Many of you only know Bowie from Jim Henson’s 1986 classic, Labyrinth, where David played the Goblin King Jareth.  A young girl named Sarah (played by a 15 year old Jennifer Connelly) accidently gives her crying baby brother over to the King of the Goblins, and must solve the large maze and it’s pitfalls to save him.

Most of the character designs for the various creatures and puppets were done by artist Brian Froud and his wife, including oddly enough, the baby brother character of Toby, who was played by the Froud’s son Toby.

Well, Toby is grown up now, and just released this moving tribute to David Bowie. Of the video, Toby says: “I found this clip from the first night of shooting Lessons Learned. Tired and feeling silly we broke out “Dance Magic” In a celebration of Puppets, Film making and Bowie! In Memory of David.”:

Here is the original scene from the film:

Rest in Peace Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, Jareth, David.  You gave the world amazing art, we will miss you forever and ever.