37-500: Twyla Tharp ( / ˈ t w aɪ l ə ˈ θ ɑːr p / ; born July 1, 1941) is an American dancer, choreographer, and author who lives and works in New York City. In 1965 she formed the company Twyla Tharp Dance, which merged with American Ballet Theatre in 1988. She regrouped the company in 1991. Her work often uses classical music, jazz, and contemporary pop music. From 1971 to 1988, Twyla Tharp Dance toured extensively around
74-685: A boat" by sighting stellar references according to ancient Greek navigation . Tharp has received two Emmy Awards, 19 honorary doctorates, the Vietnam Veterans of America President's Award, the 2004 National Medal of the Arts , and numerous grants, including a MacArthur Fellowship . She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences , the American Philosophical Society , and an Honorary Member of
111-506: A degree in art history in 1963. In New York City , she studied with Richard Thomas , Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham . In 1963, Tharp joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company . In 1965, Tharp choreographed her first dance, Tank Dive , and formed her own company, Twyla Tharp Dance. Her work often utilizes classical music, jazz, and contemporary pop music. From 1971 to 1988, Twyla Tharp Dance toured extensively around
148-618: A former dancer with ABT, serves as the school's artistic director. ABT Studio Company, formerly known as ABT II, is a small company of 12 young dancers, ranging from ages 16 to 20, handpicked by ABT. It is the top level of the American Ballet Theatre training ladder and is currently an extension of the ABT JKO school. These dancers are trained in the program to join ABT's main company or other leading professional companies, and
185-636: A new show, The Times They Are a-Changin' , to the music of Bob Dylan in 2005 at The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. The Times They are A-Changin' set the records for the highest-grossing show and highest ticket sales as of the date of closing (March 2006). It was also the first show to receive a second extension before the first preview. After its run in California, the New York show ran for 35 previews and 28 performances. In 2009, Tharp worked with
222-452: A week. Tharp's mother insisted she take lessons in dance, various musical instruments, shorthand, German and French. In 1950, Tharp's family—younger sister Twanette, twin brothers Stanley and Stanford, and her parents—moved to Rialto, California . William and Lecile operated Tharp Motors and Tharp Autos in Rialto. They opened a drive-in movie theater , where Tharp worked. The drive-in was on
259-508: A work with music by R&B artist Allen Toussaint and sets and costumes by longtime collaborator Santo Loquasto . A number of prominent fashion designers have designed costumes for Tharp, including Oscar de la Renta , Calvin Klein , and Norma Kamali . In 1980, Tharp's work first appeared on Broadway with Twyla Tharp Dance performing When We Were Very Young , followed in 1981 by The Catherine Wheel , her collaboration with David Byrne at
296-598: Is a classical ballet company based in New York City . Founded in 1939 by Lucia Chase and Richard Pleasant. Through 2019, it had an annual eight-week season at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center) in the spring and a shorter season at the David H. Koch Theater in the fall; the company tours around the world the rest of the year. The company was scheduled to have a 5-week spring season at
333-597: Is a 2002 jukebox musical featuring the songs of Billy Joel . Conceived and created by Twyla Tharp , the musical tells the story of a generation of American youth growing up on Long Island during the 1960s and their experiences with the Vietnam War . The principal characters are drawn from those who appeared in various Joel tunes: high school sweethearts Brenda and Eddie (" Scenes from an Italian Restaurant "), James ("James"), Judy ("Why Judy Why"), Sergeant O'Leary and Tony (Anthony in " Movin' Out "). The show diverts from
370-474: Is about cybernetics , especially in the several Greek-themed creative exercises, such as the Coin Drop; the Coin Drop, as an exercise in extracting ordered meaning from chaos, is derived from the astrological muse Urania , in that random coins falling onto a flat surface can be used to develop pattern analysis skills. The astrological theme is an etymological underpinning of cybernetics' tradition of "guiding
407-514: Is made up of a combination of partnerships within the community and within the industry in addition to scholarships and opportunities for exposure for children of color. Annually, as of 2013, Project Plié has awarded scholarships to young people ranging from ages 9 to 18 including to the ABT/JKO School, ABT's summer intensive programs and ABT's Young Dancer Workshop. Notes Further viewing Movin%27 Out (musical) Movin' Out
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#1732776492200444-654: The American Academy of Arts and Letters . At the 1982 Barnard College commencement ceremonies, Tharp's alma mater awarded her its highest honor, the Barnard Medal of Distinction . She received the Tony Award for Best Choreography and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography for Movin' Out . She received a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Choreography for Singin' in the Rain . Tharp
481-652: The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School . After a long period of no in-house choreographer, McKenzie appointed Alexei Ratmansky as "Artist in Residence" in January 2009. McKenzie stepped down from the company in late 2022, as announced in 2021. Susan Jaffe took over the company at the end of 2022. Ratmansky departed the troupe in June 2023. American Ballet Theatre has four levels within
518-1033: The Richard Rodgers Theatre on October 24, 2002, to more positive reviews, and closed on December 11, 2005, after 1,303 performances and 28 previews. Directed and choreographed by Tharp, the cast included Michael Cavanaugh (Piano Man), Darren Holden (replacement Piano Man), Wade Preston (alternate Piano Man), Elizabeth Parkinson (Brenda), John Selya (Eddie), Keith Roberts (Tony), Henry Haid (understudy Piano Man), Ashley Tuttle (Judy), Benjamin G. Bowman (James), and Scott Wise (Sergeant O'Leary/Drill Sergeant). The first national tour of Movin' Out ran for three years, opening on January 27, 2004 and closing on January 21, 2007, after 1,111 performances. The tour also played to generally excellent reviews and full houses in 82 U.S. cities, and also ran in Canada in December 2005. It featured numerous dancers from
555-881: The Winter Garden . Wheel was broadcast on PBS and its soundtrack released on LP. Her dance piece Fait Accompli was set to music by David Van Tieghem as released on the These Things Happen LP (1984). In 1985, her staging of Singin' in the Rain played at the Gershwin for 367 performances. Tharp premiered her dance musical Movin' Out , set to the music and lyrics of Billy Joel , in Chicago in 2001. The show opened on Broadway in 2002. Movin' Out ran for 1,331 performances on Broadway. A national tour opened in January 2004. It received 10 Tony nominations and Tharp won Best Choreographer. Tharp opened
592-484: The 1960s and 1970s, the company's prospects brightened due to more favorable private funding. During this period, American Ballet Theatre shifted its ballet focus to the recruitment of star performers. In 1977, the company began its spring season at the Metropolitan Opera House , its new official venue. Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1980 became artistic director for American Ballet Theatre. Baryshnikov staged, restaged, and refurbished numerous classical ballets and, according to
629-851: The MET preceded by a 2-week season at the Koch Theater beginning in 2020. ABT is the parent company of the American Ballet Theatre Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School , and was recognized as "America's National Ballet Company" in 2006 by the United States Congress . In 1939 Pleasant and Chase committed to the creation of "a large scale company with an eclectic repertory". The pair and a small group from Mordkin Ballet formed Ballet Theatre . Their new company's first performance
666-526: The company, strengthened their classical tradition. Baryshnikov was replaced in 1989 by Jane Hermann and Oliver Smith, who remained as artistic directors until 1992, when Kevin McKenzie received the appointment. McKenzie satisfied the demands of the traditional ballet audience by prioritizing full-length narrative ballets. He also succeeded in keeping the company afloat during financially unstable times. In 2004 he established an official associate ballet school,
703-637: The company. In 2012, Tharp created the full-length ballet The Princess and the Goblin , based on George MacDonald 's story The Princess and the Goblin . It is her first ballet to include children, and was co-commissioned by Atlanta Ballet and Royal Winnipeg Ballet and performed by both companies. Tharp was the first Artist in Residency (A.I.R.) at Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle . During this time she created and premiered Waiting At The Station ,
740-434: The company. They are (in ascending order): apprentice , corps de ballet , soloist , and principal . The following is a partial list of former dancers with ABT, listed by their highest rank prior to leaving the company. Perhaps no other choreographer was as closely associated with ABT as the great British choreographer Antony Tudor , who made his American debut with the company. The other continuous creative force
777-634: The corner of Acacia and Foothill, Rialto's major east–west artery and the path of Route 66 . She attended Pacific High School in San Bernardino , studied at the Vera Lynn School of Dance, and studied ballet with Beatrice Collenette . A "devoted bookworm", Tharp has said her schedule left little time for a social life. She attended Pomona College , but transferred to Barnard College after being caught making out with her boyfriend and threatened with expulsion. She graduated from Barnard with
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#1732776492200814-406: The dance roadshow Cutting Up (1992) with Baryshnikov, which went on to tour and appeared in 28 cities over two months. In 2000, Twyla Tharp Dance regrouped with entirely new dancers. This company also performed around the world, and with it Tharp developed the material that became Movin' Out , an award-winning Broadway musical featuring the songs of Billy Joel and starring many of the dancers in
851-954: The inaugural episode of the PBS program Dance in America ; co-producing and directing Making Television Dance (1977), which won the Chicago International Film Festival Award ; and directing The Catherine Wheel (1983) for BBC Television . Tharp co-directed the award-winning television special "Baryshnikov by Tharp" in 1984. Tharp has written four books: an early autobiography, Push Comes to Shove (1992; Bantam Books); The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life (2003, Simon & Schuster), translated into Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Korean, Thai and Japanese; The Collaborative Habit (2009, Simon & Schuster), translated into Thai, Chinese and Korean; and Keep It Moving (2019). She has said that The Creative Habit
888-549: The leads. The show played Tokyo, Japan in the summer of 2006, with many of the first national tour's performers including Darren Holden in the lead role. A second national tour opened in Atlantic City on June 14, 2007, with Matthew Friedman and Kyle Martin in the lead role of Piano Man. A third National Tour opened in La Crosse, Wisconsin on November 4, 2008, with Matthew Friedman, Kyle Martin, and Jon Abrams in
925-651: The original Broadway production, who rotated in and out as schedules allowed. Darren Holden was the primary lead Piano Man and star for the entire run of the tour, understudied by Matt Wilson (2004), Charlie Neshyba-Hodges (2004), James Fox (2005) and Matthew Friedman (2006). Holly Cruikshank , in the role of Brenda, won the 2005 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Non-Resident Production. The West End production opened on April 10, 2006, at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre where, despite receiving mostly solid reviews, it ran for less than two months, closing on May 2, 2006. James Fox and Darren Reeves were
962-567: The program is described by ABT as "a bridge between ballet training and professional performance". Project Plié is a diversity initiative launched in 2013 by Rachel Moore , who was then ABT's executive director and CEO. Following her departure, the project was overseen by artistic director Kevin McKenzie and Mary Jo Ziesel, ABT director of education and training. The program was inspired by ABT principal dancer Misty Copeland , and aims to "increase racial and ethnic representation in ballet and diversify America's ballet companies". The initiative
999-546: The show, presenting him with a 20-minute concept video featuring the show's eventual Broadway cast. Joel was enthusiastic about it, but kept his involvement thereafter to a minimum. The show started in pre-Broadway try-outs at the Shubert Theatre in Chicago from June 25, 2002, through September 1, 2002. The Chicago production was negatively received, and Tharp made extensive revisions to the show's first act, with some suggestions from Joel. It premiered on Broadway at
1036-1008: The songs of Frank Sinatra to mount Come Fly with Me , which ran at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta and was the best-selling four-week run as of the date of closing in 2009. Renamed Come Fly Away , the show opened on Broadway in 2010 at the Marquis Theatre and ran for 26 previews and 188 performances. Come Fly Away, was retooled and opened under the title Sinatra: Dance with Me at The Wynn Las Vegas in 2011. Come Fly Away National Tour opened in Atlanta in August 2011. Tharp collaborated with film directors Miloš Forman on Hair (1978), Ragtime (1980) and Amadeus (1983); Taylor Hackford on White Nights (1985); and James Brooks on I'll Do Anything (1994). Television credits include choreographing Sue's Leg (1976) for
1073-408: The traditional musical in that it essentially is a series of dances linked by a thin plot, and none of the dancers sing. Instead, all the vocals are performed by a pianist (the "Piano Man", representing Billy Joel) and band suspended on a platform above the stage while the dancers act out the songs' lyrics, basically making the show a rock ballet. In 2000, Tharp approached Joel for permission to create
1110-880: The world, performing original works. In 1973, Tharp choreographed Deuce Coupe to the music of The Beach Boys for the Joffrey Ballet . Deuce Coupe is considered the first crossover ballet. Later she choreographed Push Comes to Shove (1976), which featured Mikhail Baryshnikov and is now thought to be the best example of crossover ballet. In 1988, Twyla Tharp Dance merged with American Ballet Theatre , since which time ABT has premiered 16 of Tharp's works. In 2010 it had 20 of her works in its repertory. Tharp has since choreographed dances for Paris Opera Ballet , The Royal Ballet , New York City Ballet , Boston Ballet , Joffrey Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet , Miami City Ballet , American Ballet Theatre , Hubbard Street Dance and Martha Graham Dance Company . She also created
1147-411: The world, performing original works. In 1973 Tharp choreographed Deuce Coupe to the music of The Beach Boys for the Joffrey Ballet . Deuce Coupe is considered the first "crossover ballet", a mix of ballet and modern dance. Later she choreographed Push Comes to Shove (1976), which featured Mikhail Baryshnikov and is now thought to be the best example of crossover ballet. On May 24, 2018, Tharp
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1184-469: The world. The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre (ABT/JKO School) is the associate school of American Ballet Theatre located within the Flatiron District of Manhattan, New York City. The school comprises a Children's Division for ages 4 to 12, a Pre-Professional Division for ages 12 to 18, and the preparatory program Studio Company for ages 16 to 20. Cynthia Harvey,
1221-541: Was awarded an honorary Doctor of Arts degree by Harvard University . Tharp was born in 1941 on a farm in Portland, Indiana , the daughter of William Tharp and Lecile (Confer) Tharp. She was named for Twila Thornburg, the "Pig Princess" of the 89th Annual Muncie Fair. As a child, Tharp spent a few months each year living with her Quaker grandparents on their farm in Indiana . She would attend Quaker services three times
1258-850: Was named a Kennedy Center Honoree for 2008. She was inducted into the Academy of Achievement in 1993. From 2013 to 2014, the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery featured Tharp in the critically acclaimed "Dancing the Dream" exhibition as a pioneer of American modern dance . On May 24, 2018, she was awarded the Doctor of Arts degree by Harvard University . 1965 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 American Ballet Theatre American Ballet Theatre ( ABT )
1295-401: Was on 11 January 1940. Chase began developing the company's repertoire of well-known full-length ballets, as well as original works, amidst financial issues. In 1945 Oliver Smith joined Ballet Theatre and became co-director with Chase. In 1957 the company changed its name to American Ballet Theatre. It continued to emphasize ballet classics, yet remained challenged by financial issues. During
1332-535: Was televised the following year and has become a broadcast classic. The main season is held during the spring at New York City's Metropolitan Opera House , with shorter seasons in the fall previously held at New York City Center , now held at the David H. Koch Theater . Performances of Alexei Ratmansky 's The Nutcracker during the holiday season are held at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts . The company tours extensively throughout United States and
1369-521: Was the legendary Agnes de Mille . She staged the majority of her ballet works with them. Many choreographers have mounted works especially for ABT, including George Balanchine , Adolph Bolm , Michel Fokine , Léonide Massine , and Bronislava Nijinska . Other renowned choreographers who have worked at ABT include Jerome Robbins , Twyla Tharp , and Alvin Ailey . ABT's 1976 production of The Nutcracker starring Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gelsey Kirkland
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