Twyla Tharp
Twyla Tharp
Twyla Tharpis 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 utilizes classical music, jazz, and contemporary pop music...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionDancer
Date of Birth1 July 1941
CityPortland, IN
CountryUnited States of America
dancer desire forget modern skill
Desire is the first thing a modern dancer should have. Skill can be developed. But if you don't have desire as a modern dancer, forget it.
dream upside-down turns
In dreams, anything can be anything, and everybody can do. We can fly, we can turn upside down, we can transform into anything.
art dancing meaning serious toe
When I was a kid, toe dancing and toe shoes had a meaning in our culture as a serious kind of art.
courage
What we want from modern dance is courage and audacity.
I do at least 75 push-ups a day.
clear dancers forget image strong technique themselves willing
I look for dancers who have all the technique in the world. But they must be dancers who are open-minded, who are willing to forget that they know anything. They also have to be gorgeous; they must have a clear image of themselves and strong personalities.
accustomed buy everybody favorite taken theater ticket time until worked
My favorite audience is everybody. I worked in a drive-in theater from the time I was 8 years old until I went to college, and I'm accustomed to everybody can buy a ticket and everybody should be taken into account.
consequences hit looks needs next sell stands tickets work worked
The artist doesn't really think about consequences - he or she does the work, stands back and looks at and thinks, 'Hmm, that could have worked better like this.' But as a person who needs to sell tickets to do the next work, one needs to analyze how it does or does not hit its mark.
best familiar good move watch
Do I watch dancers as people? Yes, absolutely. Do I watch really good dancers for specifically who they are? Absolutely, because how they move best and how they look best is going to be most familiar to them, and not necessarily to me.
good
There is a moral dimension, for me, in anything that's any good.
few historical
There are very few critics who have historical context or authority.
truth
The only way to know the truth of a movement is to do it on your own body.
critics looked simply
Critics should be looked at simply as commentators.
component
Counterpoint is a component that gives real energy, and it is about optimism.