Twyla Tharp Research Paper

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Twyla Tharp is an American dancer, choreographer, and author who lives and works in New York City. In 1966, she formed her own company Twyla Tharp Dance. Her work often uses classical music, jazz, and contemporary pop music, and she is easily one of the most influential dancers/ choreographers in the last century. Tharp was born on a farm in Portland, Indiana on July 1st, 1941 to mother, Lucille, and father, William, and was named after the “Pig Princess” of the 89th Annual Muncie Fair in Indiana, Twila Thornburg. As a young child, Tharp spent a few months each year living with her grandparents on their farm in Indiana. Her mother insisted she take lessons in dance, mainly ballet, tap, jazz, and modern. Her mother also insisted she take lessons for various instruments including piano, drum, viola, and violin. In 1950, Tharp's family, her younger sister Twanette, her two brothers Stanley and Stanford, and her parents, moved to Rialto, California. There her parents opened a drive-in movie theater, where Twyla worked in her youth. She attended Pacific High School in San …show more content…
Movin' Out was a 2002 jukebox musical featuring the songs of Billy Joel. Twyla had the concept for the show, and 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 people who appeared in various Joel tunes: high school sweethearts Brenda and Eddie, "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant", James, "James", Judy, "Why Judy Why", and Tony, Anthony in "Movin' Out". The show is unusual in that, unlike the traditional musical, it is a series of dances linked by a thin plot, and none of the dancers sing; all of the vocals are performed by a pianist and band suspended on a platform above the stage while the dancers act out the songs dialogue, making the show a kind of rock
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Twyla Tharp Research Paper

Twyla Tharp is an American dancer, choreographer, and author who lives and works in New York City. In 1966, she formed her own company Twyla Tharp Dance. Her work often uses classical music, jazz, and contemporary pop music, and she is easily one of the most influential dancers/ choreographers in the last century. Tharp was born on a farm in Portland, Indiana on July 1st, 1941 to mother, Lucille, and father, William, and was named after the “Pig Princess” of the 89th Annual Muncie Fair in Indiana…

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