Another GREAT dance done! Twyla Tharp was born in Portland, Indiana on July 1, 1941. When Twyla was 4 she started tap dancing, ballet dancing, acrobatic and baton lessons. Later she learned to play the violin and viola. She went to Barnard College. She asked herself what she did best. Dance was the answer. Twyla said it was a foolish idea, who could make a career in dance? She started dancing anyway because she knew that was what she did best.

She studied classical ballet at the American Ballet Theatre School. She trained in modern dance with Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham. Twyla started to choreograph dances in 1965. Some of the dances she choreographed are Push Comes to Shove, The Catherine Wheel, In the Upper Room, Rhythm of the Saints and How Near Heaven. She also did choreography for the Broadway shows Singing in the Rain. She also choreographed for feature films such as Hair, Ragtime, Amadeus and White Nights.

Twyla created over 100 dances in her career. She even works with American jazz and pop music like the Beach Boys. She is doing great and she's still going !!

Image courtesy of Greg Gorman

2000, by Clare, fourth grade