Twyla Tharp
(born July 1, 1941) is an American dancer and choreographer. She has won Emmy and Tony awards, and currently works as a choreographer in New York City.
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Biography
Early years
Tharp was born in
Portland, Indiana and was named for Twila Thornburg, the "Pig Princess" of the 89th Annual Muncie Fair in
Indiana. 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 on the corner of Acacia and Foothill, the major east-west artery in Rialto and the path of
Route 66.
[2] During this period she worked at the drive-in, studied at the
Vera Lynn School of Dance and attended Pacific High School in
San Bernardino. Tharp admitted that in her early years she had no time for social life because of the need to work in her spare time since the age of 8 years old.
[3]
Tharp attended
Pomona College in California, but transferred to
Barnard College in New York City. It was in New York that she studied with
Martha Graham and
Merce Cunningham. She graduated from Barnard with a degree in art history in 1963 and joined the
Paul Taylor Dance Company. From 1965 to 1970 she explored and developed her ideas and in 1971 she formed her own company, called Twyla Tharp Dance.
Career
Twyla Tharp is the first choreographer to create a dance work, Deuce Coupe, that utilized both modern and ballet techniques. She is the creator of what is now known as the “cross-over” ballet. Tharp's work often utilizes
classical music,
jazz and contemporary
pop music.
From 1971 to 1988 Twyla Tharp Dance performed original works around the world. In 1973 she created a dance titled Deuce Coupe, for
The Joffrey Ballet, which is considered to be the first ever “cross-over” ballet. In 1988, Twyla Tharp Dance merged with
American Ballet Theatre, where Tharp created more than a dozen works. 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. In 1991, Tharp regrouped her company Twyla Tharp Dance and created a program with
Mikhail Baryshnikov called
Cutting Up,
which went on to appear in 28 cities over a two month period. From 1999 to 2003, Twyla Tharp Dance toured internationally.
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. In 2002, Tharp premiered
Billy Joel's award-winning dance musical
Movin' Out
on Broadway, and a national tour opened in January, 2004. 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.
Movin' Out
ran for 1331 performances on Broadway. In 2005, Tharp created a show titled
The Times They Are a-Changin'
, to the music of
Bob Dylan. After a successful run in San Diego, the New York show closed after 35 previews and 28 performances.
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).
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. 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.
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.
Honors and awards
She received 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. She is a member of the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences and an Honorary Member of 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 the 2002 musical
Movin' Out
. She received a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Choreography for the musical
Singin' in the Rain
.
In 2007, Tharp received
honoris causa
degrees from
Duke and
Princeton Universities.
She was named a
Kennedy Center Honoree for 2008.
[4]
Tharp was inducted into the
Academy of Achievement in 1993.
[5]
1965
Walter Gutman
1969
George Irwin,
The Lepercq Foundation
1970
Foundation for the Contemporary Performing Arts, 1970
Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, John S. Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
The Emma A. Sheafer Trust, 1970 - 1981, 1985
1971
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, 1971, 1974
National Endowment for the Arts Choreographers Fellowship, 1971, 1973
New York State Council on the Arts Annual Support, 1971 - 1986
1972
Brandeis University, Creative Arts Citation,
1973
National Endowment for the Arts Annual Support, 1973 - 1986
1974
Creative Artists Public Service Program
Edward John Nobel Foundation
New York Public Library Dance Collection
The Place Trust, London
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, 1974 - 1978, 1982, 1983, 1986
1975
Eight Jelly Rolls, 1st in Festival in Video and Modern Dance Video Certificate of Honor
Making Television Dance, Modern Dance Video Certificate of Merit
1976
Mademoiselle Magazine, Mademoiselle Magazine Award
Exxon Corporation, 1976, 1980, 1982 - 1984, 1986
1977
The Green Fund, 1977, 1980, 1981
National Endowment for the Arts Challenge Grant, 1977, 1985
The Shubert Foundation, 1977, 1978, 1980-1986
1978
Dance Film Association, 7th Annual Dance Video and Film Festival
Honorary Degree, California Institute of the Arts
Silver Satellite Award for Making Television Dance, American Women in Radio & Television,
The Ford Foundation, 1978, 1980
The Ford Motor Company, 1978 - 1985
The Surdna Foundation, 1978, 1980, 1985
1979
Soho Arts Second Annual Awards, The Soho Weekly News
Honorary Degree, Bucknell University
The Scherman Foundation, 1979, 1980, 1982 - 1985
United Artists
The David Merrick Arts Foundation
Mobil Foundation, Inc., 1979, 1981 - 1986
1980
Honorary Degree, Bates College
Dance Educators of America Award for Making Television Dance
Screening and Red Ribbon Award for Making Television Dance
The Booth Ferris Foundation
Chase Manhattan Bank, 1980 – 1982
Con Ed, 1980 - 1985
Morgan Guarantee Trust, 1980 - 1981, 1983 - 1984, 1986
The Jerome Robbins Foundation, 1980, 1983
1981
Film Library Association American Film Festival
Honorary Degree, Bard College
Honorary Degree, Brown University
Dance Magazine Award, Dance Magazine
Dance Film Award for Making Television Dance, Chicago International Film Festival
Indiana Arts Award, Indiana Arts Commission
Citibank, 1981 - 1986
Doll Foundation, 1981 - 1986
Weil Foundation
Norman and Rosita Winston Foundation
Rockefeller Foundation
1982
Medal of Distinction, Barnard College
Chemical Bank, 1982 - 1986
National Corporate Fund for Dance, 1982 – 1985
Robert Sterling Clark Foundation
Ida and William Rosenthal Foundation, 1982, 1986
New York Telephone, 1982 – 1985
1983
Spirit of Achievement Award, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Honorary Degree, Williams College
Indiana Arts Award, Indiana Arts Commission
The Thorne Foundation
Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund, 1983 - 1984, 1986
C.L. Glazer Trust
The Klingenstein Fund,
Warner Communications
1984
Mayor's Award of Honor for Arts and Culture, Edward I. Koch, New York, N.Y.
Dance Masters of America 1984 Choreographer's Award
Arthur Andersen and Company, 1984 - 1986
Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission
Booth Ferris Foundation
Brooklyn Union and Gas
Merrill Lynch, 1984, 1986
New York Times Company Foundation, 1984 - 1986
1985
Emmy Awards for Baryshnikov by Tharp choreography and co- direction, Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement for Baryshnikov by Tharp
Indiana Arts Award, Indiana Arts Commission
APA Trucking,
The Charles Engelhard Foundation
Corporate Property Investors
Hausman Belding Foundation
Gerald D. Hines Interests
GFI/Knoll International
NBC, 1985 - 1986
Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation, 1985, 1986
Zayre Coporation,
1986
University Medal of Excellence, Columbia University
Bankers Trust
Cadillac Fairview
MCA
Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company
Ridgewood Energy Corporation,
1987
Honorary Degree, Indiana University
Honorary Degree, Pomona College
Golden Plate Award, American Academy of Achievement
1988
Honorary Degree, Hamilton College
Honorary Degree, Skidmore College
1989
Honorary Degree, Marymount Manhattan College
Lions of the Performing Arts Award, New York Public Library
1990
Samuel M. Scripps Award, American Dance Festival
1991
Laurence Olivier Award for In the Upper Room, Laurence Olivier Foundation
Wexner Foundation Award, The Ohio State University Wexner Center for the Arts
1992
MacArthur Fellowship, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Ruth Page Visiting Arts, Harvard University, 1992-1993
1993
Golden Plate Award, American Academy of Achievement
Woman of Achievement, Barnard College
Inducted, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
1996
Arts Award, Dickinson College
Honorary Degree, Ball State University
Distinguished Artist Award, International Society For The Performing Arts
1997
American Honorary Member, American Academy of Arts and Letters
1998
Trust for Mutual Understanding
1999
MOCA Award to Distinguished Women In The Arts, Museum Of Contemporary Art
2000
The Doris Duke Awards for New Work
2001
Women’s Project & Productions Exceptional Achievement Award
2002
New York Awards Lifetime Achievement
2003
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Choreography MOVIN’ OUT
Tony Award Best Choreography MOVIN’ OUT
Drama League Outstanding Achievement Award for Musical Theatre
TDF/Astaire Award Best Choreographer MOVIN’ OUT
Indiana Living Legend, Indiana Historical Society
Glamour Woman of the Year Award
Outstanding Contribution to the Arts Award North Carolina School of the Arts
2004
National Medal of Arts
Vietnam Veterans of America President’s Award for Excellence in the Arts
Independent Reviewers of New England Award Best Choreography MOVIN’ OUT-Broadway in Boston
Goddard Space Flight Center’s Center Director’s Colloquium Citation for Enlightening, Creative and Thought-Provoking Presentation
2005
Best Choreography MOVIN’ OUT Touring Broadway Awards
Jane Addams Medal for Distinguished Service presented by Rockford College
2006
Princess Grace Award – Outstanding Artistry
Critics Circle Dance Award Outstanding Choreography – MOVIN’ OUT London
2007
Honorary Degree Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
Honorary Degree Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
2007 Touring Broadway Award: Best Choreography for a touring show for MOVIN’ OUT.
2008
The Jerome Robbins Prize
The Kennedy Center Honors
See also
Brahms/Handel, collaborative ballet with
Jerome Robbins
References
- Twyla Tharp found a kindred spirit to inspire "The Times They Are A-Changin'" at Old Globe
- Rialto
- Interview: Twyla Tharp Dancer and Choreographer
- Streisand, Freeman, Tharp, Jones, Townshend and Daltrey Are 2008 Kennedy Center Honorees
- Twyla Tharp Biography