Twyla Tharp Biography (1941-)

Born July 1, 1941, in Portland, IN; children: Jesse.

Nationality
American
Gender
Female
Occupation
Dancer, choreographer
Birth Details
July 1, 1941
Portland, Indiana, United States

Famous Works

  • CREDITS
  • Stage Ballet Choreographer
  • Push Comes to Shove, American Ballet Theatre, Uris Theatre, New York City, 1976
  • Nine Sinatra Songs, 1982, then Metropolitan Opera House, New YorkCity, 1990
  • The Little Ballet (also known as Once Upon a Time), Northrop Auditorium, Minneapolis, MN, 1983
  • (With Jerome Robbins) Brahms/Handel, City Center Theatre, New YorkCity, 1984
  • At the Supermarket, American Ballet Theatre, 1984
  • Ballare, Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) Theatre, New York City, 1987
  • Stations of the Crossed, Soho's Ohio Theatre, 1988
  • Brief Fling, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, CA, 1990, then New York State Theatre, New York City, 1990
  • Grand Pas: Rhythm of the Saints, Paris Opera Ballet, 1991
  • Deuce Coupe II, City Center Theatre, 1992
  • Men's Piece, City Center Theatre, 1992
  • Waterbaby Bagatelles, Boston Ballet, 1994
  • Known by Heart, American Ballet Theatre, City Center Theatre, 1998
  • The Beethoven Seventh, New York City Ballet, State Theater, New York City, 2000
  • Variations on a Theme by Haydn, American Ballet Theater, Kennedy Center, Washington, DC, 2000
  • Stage Choreographer
  • Tank Dive, 1965
  • Re-Moves, 1966
  • Forevermore, 1967
  • Generation, 1968
  • Medley, 1969
  • Fugue, Delacorte Theatre, New York City, 1970
  • Eight Jelly Rolls, 1971
  • The Raggedy Dances, 1972
  • As Time Goes By, 1974
  • Sue's Leg, 1975
  • Once More Frank, New York State Theatre, New York City, 1976
  • Mud, 1977
  • Baker's Dozen, 1979
  • When We Were Very Young, 1980
  • Twyla Tharp and Her Dancers, Winter Garden Theatre, New York City,1981
  • (And director) The Catherine Wheel, Winter Garden Theatre, 1981
  • Nine Sinatra Songs, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 1982
  • Sinatra Suite, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 1982
  • Bach Partrita, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington,DC, 1983
  • Amadeus, 1984
  • White Nights, 1985
  • Sorrow Floats (musical), Broadway production, 1985
  • Singin' in the Rain (musical), George Gershwin Theatre, New York City, 1985-1986
  • In the Upper Room, Ravinia Festival, Highland Park, IL, 1986
  • Bum's Rush, Civic Opera House, Chicago, IL, 1989
  • Everlast, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, CA, 1989
  • Quartet, Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts, Miami Beach, FL, 1989
  • Demeter and Persephone, 1993
  • American We, Metropolitan Opera House, New York City, 1995
  • Jump Start, Metropolitan Opera House, 1995
  • How Near Heaven, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 1995
  • The Elements, Metropolitan Opera House, 1996
  • Moondog, Twyla Tharp Dance Foundation, Stanford, CA, 1998
  • Yemaya, Miami, FL, 1998
  • Diabelli, Twyla Tharp Dance Foundation, Palermo, Italy, 1998
  • Hammerklavier, Twyla Tharp Dance Foundation, Duke University, NC,1999
  • Mozart Clarinet Quintet K581, Twyla Tharp Dance, Duke University,2000
  • Surfer at the River Styx, Twyla Tharp Dance, Duke University, 2000
  • Westerly Round, 2001
  • (And director) Movin' Out, Shubert Theatre, Chicago, IL, 2002, then Richard Rogers Theatre, New York City, 2002-
  • Even the King, 2003
  • Also choreographed Deuce Coupe, City Center Joffrey Ballet.
  • Major Tours
  • Producer and choreographer, Cutting Up, 1992-1993
  • Choreographer, Tharp!, 1996
  • Choreographer, Twyla Tharp Dance, U.S. and world cities, 2002-2003
  • Film Choreographer
  • Tank Dive: Excerpts, 1965
  • Hair, United Artists, 1979
  • Ragtime, Paramount, 1981
  • Amadeus (also known as Peter Schaffer's Amadeus and Amadeus: The Director's Cut), Orion, 1984
  • (With Roland Petit and Mikhail Baryshnikov) White Nights, Columbia, 1985
  • Valmont, Orion, 1989
  • I'll Do Anything, 1994
  • Film Appearances
  • Tank Dive: Excerpts, 1965
  • Television Work
  • Episodic
  • Choreographer and (with Don Mischer) director, "Baryshnikov by Tharp withAmerican Ballet Theatre," Dance in America, PBS, 1984
  • Specials
  • Choreographer, Twyla Tharp and Dancers, 1976
  • Choreographer, The Catherine Wheel, PBS, 1982
  • Choreographer, Great Performances' 20th Anniversary Special, PBS,1992
  • Choreographer, Twyla Tharp: Oppositions, PBS, 1996
  • Television Appearances
  • Specials
  • Twyla Tharp and Dancers, 1976
  • Great Performances' 20th Anniversary Special, PBS, 1992
  • Herself, A Century of Women, TBS, 1994
  • Twyla Tharp: Oppositions, PBS, 1996
  • Miniseries
  • "The Individual and Tradition," Dancing, PBS, 1993
  • WRITINGS
  • Television Episodes
  • (With Peter Elbling) "Baryshnikov by Tharp with American Ballet Theatre,"Dance in America, PBS, 1984
  • Autobiography
  • Push Comes to Shove, 1992

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

    Periodicals
    • Dance Magazine, January, 2000, p. 44; March, 2001, p. 44; April, 2001, p. 36; February, 2003, p. 47
    • Los Angeles Times, November 22, 1992
    • Nation, March 28, 1987, p. 410
    • New York Times, January 1, 1989
    • Playbill, November 30, 2002
    Electronic
    • Twyla Tharp Official Site, http://www.twylathorp.org, February 27,2003