Twyla Tharp
Twyla Tharp (born July 1, 1941 in Portland, Indiana, United States) was a creative and frequently witty American dancer, director, and choreographer. Tharp received extensive musical and dancing training as a kid in both her hometown of Portland, Indiana, and in Los Angeles. She trained at the American Ballet Theatre School while at Barnard College, where she was taught by Richard Thomas, Martha Graham, and Merce Cunningham, among others. She joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in 1963, shortly before graduating from Barnard, and quickly established herself as a dancer of tremendous talent and inventiveness. She started her own group in 1965.
Tank Dive, Tharp's first public performance piece, was premiered at Hunter College in 1965. She choreographed a number of pieces over the next few years, many of which included street clothes, a barren stage, and no music. She cultivated a tiny but devoted audience with her eccentric, technically exact explorations of various types and combinations of motions. Tharp began incorporating jazz music into her dances in 1971, allowing her to reach a wider audience. Her choreography maintained its technical brilliance, which was often covered with a casual air, but its flashes of sardonic humour became increasingly noticeable. Tharp established herself as one of the most original and popular modern choreographers with works such as The Fugue (1970), Deuce Coupe (1973), Push Comes to Shove (1976), and Baker's Dozen (1979).
- Born: July 1, 1941 (age 80)
- Known for: Choreographer, dancer
