“Art is the only way to run away without leaving home” Since graduating from Barnard College in 1963, Twyla Tharp has become an undeniable force in the art world. She has used her extensive education, musical intelligence, and vast curiosity to expand the boundaries of ballet, modern dance, stage and screen. Marrying classical discipline and contemporary techniques, her work has become synonymous with edginess and originality. Tharp has choreographed over 160 works, 12 television specials, six Hollywood movies, four full-length ballets, four Broadway shows and two figure skating routines, showcasing her ingenuity around the globe. In 1965, Tharp founded her dance company Twyla Tharp Dance, a troupe known for its creativity, sharp wit and technical precision juxtaposed by a streetwise nonchalance. Combining different genres of movement—such as jazz, ballet, boxing and inventions of her own making—Tharp effectively revolutionized the art form.
