Twyla Tharp

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Legendary dancer and choreographer Twyla Tharp has been creating dances for half a century, as well as for Broadway musicals and Hollywood hits like Amadeus and Hair. Since starting her own company in 1965, Twyla has been expanding our idea of what dance can be by combining a huge variety of movement from jazz, ballet and even boxing into her work. She’s won Emmys and a Tony, and is still working aged 80. Clem Hitchcock joins Twyla as her latest performance, Twyla Now, opens at New York City Centre. Back in 1973, it also staged Twyla’s Deuce Coupe, her revolutionary breakthrough work scored to music by the Beach Boys, which mixed classical and modern dance to become the first ‘crossover’ ballet. For this performance, Twyla is drawing on dances from her mighty back catalogue, some famous, some never seen before. In a rare interview, Twyla chats with Clem Hitchcock about refreshing the dances of her past by collaborating with some of the superstars of American dance today. We hear from two of them: New York City Ballet principal dancer Sara Mearns, and James Gilmer from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. This includes a version of a dance Twyla first choreographed for herself and Mikhail Baryshnikov back in 1992, but this time switching around the gender of the two leads. She discusses the need for inclusivity and diversity in dance companies, and why for this show she was also keen to work with younger emerging dancers she found on the internet. Never one to stand still, Twyla looks back at how the last two years have been surprisingly productive, including choreographing a ‘Zoom ballet’, and reflects on her lifelong commitment to broadening the appeal of ballet to new audiences through evolving a relaxed, looser, more accessible way of moving. Image: Twyla Tharp (Credit: Richard Avedon/Courtesy of The Richard Avedon Foundation)