Twyla Tharp (born July 1, 1941) is a leading American dancer and choreographer. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Dance (from French danser, perhaps from Frankish) is an Art form that generally refers to movement of the body usually rhythmic See also, Choreography (literally "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" (circular dance see chorea) and "γραφή" She has won Emmy and Tony awards, and currently works as a choreographer in New York City. The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American Theatre and are presented The City of New York
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Personal life and early years
Tharp was born in Portland, Indiana in 1941 and was named for Twila Thornburg, the "Pig Princess" of the 89th Annual Muncie Fair in Indiana. Portland is a city in and the County seat of Jay County, Indiana, United States. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The State of Indiana ( was the 19th US state admitted into the union Tharp's family (including younger sister Twanette, twin brothers Stanley and Stanford, mother Lecile and father William) moved to Rialto, California in 1951 [1], where her parents opened a drive-in movie theater. Rialto is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January A drive-in theater is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor screen a projection booth a Concession stand and a large parking area for automobiles During this period she studied at the Vera Lynn School of Dance and attended Pacific High School in San Bernardino. Dame Vera Lynn DBE (born 20 March 1917) is a popular British Vocalist whose career flourished during World War II,
Tharp attended Pomona College in California, but transferred to Barnard College in New York City. Pomona College is a private residential liberal arts college located in Claremont California. Barnard College is a women's liberal arts college founded in 1889 It was in New York that she began dancing with Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham. See also Martha Graham ( May 11, 1894 &ndash April 1, 1991) was an American Dancer and Choreographer See also Merce Cunningham (born April 16, 1919 in Centralia Washington, United States is an American Dancer and choreographer She graduated from Barnard with a degree in art history in 1963 and joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company[2]. Paul Taylor Dance Company, is a Contemporary dance company, formed by Paul Taylor, an American choreographers of the 20th century Two years later she formed her own company, called Twyla Tharp Dance.
At its 1982 commencement ceremonies, Tharp's alma mater awarded her its highest honor, the Barnard Medal of Distinction. Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) Alma mater is Latin for "nourishing mother" It was used in Ancient Rome as a title for the mother Goddess, and in Medieval The following is a list of notable individuals associated with Barnard College through attendance as a student service as a member of the faculty or staff or award of the Barnard Medal
Work
Twyla Tharp Dance merged with American Ballet Theatre in 1988, where Tharp created more than a dozen works. See also American Ballet Theatre, based in New York City, was one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century Since that time Tharp has choreographed dances for many companies including The Paris Opera Ballet, The Royal Ballet, New York City Ballet, The Boston Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance and The Martha Graham Dance Company. The Paris Opéra Ballet is the official Ballet company of the Opéra national de Paris, otherwise known as the Palais Garnier, though The Royal Ballet is an internationally renowned Classical ballet company based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England New York State Theater by David Shankbonejpg|thumb|300px| New York State Theater]] New York City Ballet ( NYCB) is a Ballet company founded in 1948 by The Boston Ballet is a professional Ballet company based in Boston Massachusetts. The Joffrey Ballet is a dance company founded in 1956 From 1995 to 2004 the company was known as The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. Hubbard Street Dance Chicago is a dance company based in Chicago. See also Martha Graham ( May 11, 1894 &ndash April 1, 1991) was an American Dancer and Choreographer
Tharp's work first went to Broadway in 1980 with When We Were Very Young, followed in 1981 by her collaboration with David Byrne on The Catherine Wheel at the Winter Garden, and her 1985 staging of Singin' in the Rain, which played at the Gershwin for 367 performances, followed by an extensive national tour. The Winter Garden Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 1634 Broadway in midtown- Manhattan. Singin' in the Rain is a musical with a book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, lyrics by Arthur Freed, and music by Nacio Herb The George Gershwin Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 222 West 51st Street in midtown- Manhattan in the Paramount Plaza In film, Tharp collaborated with directors Milos Forman on Hair (1978), Ragtime (1980) and Amadeus (1984); with Taylor Hackford on White Nights (1985) and with James Brooks on I'll Do Anything (1994). Jan Tomáš Forman (ˈjan ˈtomaːʃ ˈforman born February 18, 1932) better known as Miloš Forman (ˈmɪloʃ ˈforman is a Czech-American Hair is a 1979 film adaptation of the 1968 Broadway musical of the same title about a Vietnam war draftee who meets and befriends Ragtime is a 1981 motion picture based on the Historical novel Ragtime by E Amadeus is a 1984 drama directed by Miloš Forman. Based on Peter Shaffer 's stage play Amadeus, the film Taylor Edwin Hackford (born December 31, 1944) is an Academy Award -winning American Film director. White Nights is a 1985 film starring Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gregory Hines, Jerzy Skolimowski, Helen Mirren and James L Brooks (born May 9, 1940) is an American producer, Screenwriter and director. I'll Do Anything is a 1994 American Dramedy film written and directed by James L
In 1991, Tharp regrouped her company Twyla Tharp Dance and created a program with Mikhail Baryshnikov called Cutting Up, which went on to become one of contemporary dance's most successful tours, appearing in 28 cities over a two month period. Mikhail Nikolaevich Baryshnikov (Михаил Николаевич Барышников (born January 27, 1948) is a Soviet -born Russian From 1999 to 2003, Twyla Tharp Dance toured internationally to critical acclaim.
In 2002, Tharp and Billy Joel's award-winning dance musical Movin' Out premiered on Broadway, and a national tour opened in January, 2004. William Martin Joel (born May 9 1949 is an American Pianist and Singer-songwriter. Movin' Out is a Jukebox musical featuring the songs of Billy Joel. The recipient of a 2003 Tony Award for Movin' Out, Tharp was also honored with the 2003 Astaire Award; the Drama League Award for Sustained Achievement in Musical Theater; and both the Drama Desk Award and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Choreography. The Drama League Awards, created in 1935 honor distinguished productions and performances both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in addition to recognizing exemplary The Drama Desk Award, created in 1955, is an award which recognizes shows produced on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-off-Broadway, and The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on and Off-Broadway and were begun during the 1949-1950 theater season Movin' Out ran for 1331 performances on Broadway. *
Tharp's work encompasses choreography with classical music, jazz and contemporary pop music. Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States Pop music as a genre features a noticeable rhythmic element catchy melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and conventional structure
Tharp has created more than 135 dances, choreographed for five Hollywood movies, directed and choreographed two Broadway shows, written two books and received one Tony Award, two Emmy Awards, 17 honorary doctorates, the Vietnam Veterans of America President’s Award, the 2004 National Medal of the Arts, and numerous grants including the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellowship. Vietnam Veterans of America Inc (VVA is a national non-profit corporation founded in 1978 in the United States that promotes the interests of United The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the Congress of the United States in 1984 for the purpose of honoring artists and patrons of the arts The MacArthur Fellows Program or MacArthur Fellowship (sometimes Nicknamed the "genius grant") is an award given by the John D She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and an Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS is an organization dedicated to scholarship and the advancement of learning The American Academy of Arts and Letters is a 250-member organization whose goal is to "foster assist and sustain excellence" in American Literature,
Her television credits include choreographing "Sue's Leg" for the inaugural episode of the PBS program Dance in America, co-producing and directing Making Television Dance, which won the Chicago International Film Festival Award; and directing "The Catherine Wheel" for BBC Television. The Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS) is a Non-profit Public broadcasting Television service with 354 member TV stations in the The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual Film festival that is presented by Cinema/Chicago Tharp co-directed the television special "Baryshnikov by Tharp," which won two Emmy Awards as well as the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Director Achievement. Directors Guild of America ( DGA) is the labor union which represents the interests of film and television directors in the United States
Tharp wrote her first book in 1992, the autobiography Push Comes to Shove. Her second book, The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life was published in October 2003.
Tharp continues to create works and lecture around the world.
A recent Broadway venture was The Times They Are a-Changin', which places the music of Bob Dylan in the context of a small family circus, in which the clowns rise up against a cruel ringmaster. Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman, May 24 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter author poet and painter who has been a major A circus is most commonly a traveling company of performers that may include acrobats, Clowns trained animals trapeze acts Hoopers, tightrope walkers Clowns are comic performers stereotypically characterized by their Grotesque appearance colored wigs stylistic makeup, outlandish Costumes unusually It was a critical disaster, torn to shreds by practically all, and closed after 63 performances. The orchestra pit was covered with trampolines, and the folk/rock band was on an elevated platform on stage. *
In 2007, Tharp received honorary degrees from Duke and Princeton Universities. Duke University is a private Research University located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Princeton University is a private Coeducational research university located in Princeton, New Jersey.
Quotes
- "I had to become the greatest choreographer of my time. That was my mission, and that's what I set out to do. "
- "You have to be either hopelessly passionate, or very stupid. "
- "Art is the only way to run away without leaving home. "
- "Dancing is like bank-robbery. It takes split-second timing. "
- "Modern dance is not less; modern dance is more. It's everything that came before it, plus. "
External links
- Twyla Tharp official site
- Twyla Tharp at the Internet Movie Database
- Twyla Tharp at the Internet Broadway Database
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