Cast Set for TWYLA THARP AND THREE DANCES at The Joyce Theatre

Twyla Tharp and Three Dances, the previously announced program conceived and directed by Twyla Tharp and featuring two classics and one premiere, will be presented by The Joyce Theater Foundation for two weeks next month, July 10-23, in its intimate Chelsea home, located at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street. Part of the Pathways to Dance Upstate/Downstate initiative, Twyla Tharp and Three Dances will feature a company of long-time Tharp dancers along with new members. John Selya, Matthew Dibble, Daniel Baker, Ramona Kelley, Amy Ruggiero, Eva Trapp, Nicholas Coppula, Kaitlyn Gilliland and Reed Tankersley make up the company. On the program are two Tharp classics, Brahms Paganini and Country Dances, and a new work, Beethoven Opus 130, set to Beethoven's Opus of the same title having its world premiere at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on June 30. This presentation, one of the must-see cultural events of the summer, marks the first time Tharp's company will perform on The Joyce's stage in almost 12 years. Tickets range in price from $10-$75 and can be purchased at www.Joyce.org, or by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800. Please note: ticket prices are subject to change. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street. For more information, please visit www.Joyce.org.

Upon announcing this engagement in April, Executive Director of The Joyce Theater Linda Shelton said, "I am thrilled that The Joyce's relationship with Twyla Tharp Dance will continue this July when the Company returns to perform a program featuring two of the early and midcareer works from Tharp's repertoire and a new work that I expect to be equally impressive."

Country Dances, Tharp's 1976 work, opens the program. Set to music from America's heartland, the piece features four dancers who do-si-do through square dance adaptations. The New York City Premiere of Tharp's dramatic new work, Beethoven Opus 130, featuring longtime Tharp dancer Matthew Dibble with the company, set to Beethoven's famous Opus of the same title, follows. Closing the program is 1980's tour de force, Brahms Paganini, a work for six set to Books I & II of Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Opus 36 by Johannes Brahms. This dance showcases the virtuosity of Tharp's dancers, featuring a male soloist who dances all of Book I and a quartet and female soloist who display a high level of technical precision and stamina in the movement of Book II. Casting is as follows:

Country Dances

John Selya, Amy Ruggiero, Eva Trapp and Kaitlyn Gilliland

Beethoven Opus 130

Matthew Dibble

with Kaitlyn Gilliland, Daniel Baker, Ramona Kelley, Amy Ruggiero,

Eva Trapp, Nicholas Coppula and Reed Tankersley

Brahms Paganini

Book I: Reed Tankersley

Book II: Daniel Baker, Ramona Kelley, Amy Ruggiero, Nicholas Coppula

with Kaitlyn Gilliland

Performances of The Joyce Theater presentation of Twyla Tharp and Three Dances will take place July 11-23 at The Joyce Theater (175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street) according to the following schedule: Monday-Wednesday at 7:30pm; Thursday-Friday at 8pm; Saturday at 2pm & 8pm. Tickets range in price from $10-$75 and can be purchased at www.Joyce.org, or by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800. Please note: ticket prices are subject to change. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street. For more information, please visit www.Joyce.org.

ABOUT TWYLA THARP

Since graduating from Barnard College in 1963, Ms. Tharp has choreographed more than one hundred sixty works: one hundred twenty-nine dances, twelve television specials, six Hollywood movies, four full-length ballets, four Broadway shows and two figure skating routines. She received one Tony Award, two Emmy Awards, nineteen honorary doctorates, the Vietnam Veterans of America President's Award, the 2004 National Medal of the Arts, the 2008 Jerome Robbins Prize, and a 2008 Kennedy Center Honor. Her many grants include the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellowship. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and an Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

In 1965, Ms. Tharp founded her dance company, Twyla Tharp Dance. Her dances are known for creativity, wit and technical precision coupled with a streetwise nonchalance. By combining different forms of movement - such as jazz, ballet, boxing and inventions of her own making - Ms. Tharp's work expands the boundaries of ballet and modern dance.

In addition to choreographing for her own company, she has created dances for The Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, The Paris Opera Ballet, The Royal Ballet, New York City Ballet, The Boston Ballet, The Australian Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Martha Graham Dance Company, Miami City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Atlanta Ballet and Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Today, ballet and dance companies around the world continue to perform Ms. Tharp's works.

Ms. Tharp's work first appeared on Broadway in 1980 with WHEN WE WERE VERY YOUNG, followed by her collaboration with musician David Byrne on THE CATHERINE WHEEL and later by SINGIN' IN THE RAIN. In 2002, Ms. Tharp's dance musical MOVIN' OUT, set to the music and lyrics of Billy Joel. Ms. Tharp later worked with Bob Dylan's music and lyrics in THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN' and COME FLY AWAY, set to songs sung by Frank Sinatra.

In film, Ms. Tharp has collaborated with director Milos Forman on HAIR, RAGTIME and AMADEUS. She has also worked with Taylor Hackford on WHITE NIGHTS and James Brooks on I'LL DO ANYTHING.

Her television credits include choreographing SUE'S LEG for the inaugural episode of PBS' DANCE IN AMERICA IN 1976, co-producing and directing MAKING TELEVISION DANCE, and directing THE CATHERINE WHEEL for BBC Television. Ms. Tharp co-directed the television special BARYSHNIKOV BY THARP.

In 1992, Ms. Tharp published her autobiography PUSH COMES TO SHOVE. She went on to write THE CREATIVE HABIT: Learn it and Use it for Life, followed by THE COLLABORATIVE HABIT: Life Lessons for Working Together. She is currently working on a fourth book.

Today, Ms. Tharp continues to create.

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