Twyla Tharp's EIGHT JELLY ROLLS

Spring 2011

About the Project

In the spring of 2011, Yale Dance Lab’s pilot undertaking centered on a reconstruction of EIGHT JELLY ROLLS, a canonical work in American dance history, choreographed by Twyla Tharp in 1971. Working with two Twyla Tharp rehearsal directors, Katie Glasner and Jennifer Way Rawe, both former Tharp dancers, students aimed to master Tharp’s style. With guest coaches Sara Rudner and Rose Marie Wright contributing expertise, Dance Lab members considered the problem of synthesizing generational knowledge in dance preservation.

Groundbreaking in her synthesis of dance techniques and vocabularies, Twyla Tharp pioneered a crossover style that combines elements from classical ballet, jazz, tap, athletics, hip-hop, and more. With music by Jelly Roll Morton, EIGHT JELLY ROLLS marks a key point in Tharp’s early career, the moment she turned away from postmodern dance aesthetics to explore music, movement invention, and a conscious effort to please the audience.

Dancers

Amymarie K. Bartholomew (YC ‘13), Derek DiMartini (YC ‘13), Juliette Jeanfreau (M.Div ‘13), Patrick Lee (YC ‘11), Elena Light (YC ‘13), Lydia Martin (YC ‘12), Aren Vastola (YC ‘14)

About the Artist

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. In 2019, her fourth book was published, KEEP IT MOVING: LESSONS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

Today, Ms. Tharp continues to create.

Rehearsal Directors

Eight Jelly Rolls was the first piece Katie Glasner performed with the Twyla Tharp company. As a performer, Ms. Glasner danced at the White House during the Reagan administration, in the ancient amphitheater of Caesaria, on Broadway in Singin’ in The Rain. Her teaching credits include Princeton Ballet School, Ballet Hispanico, American Music and Dramatic Academy, Princeton University, New York University, Penn State, Wesleyan College and University of CA/Irvine. Currently Assistant Chair and Senior Associate Department of Dance at Barnard College (Columbia University), Katie is committed to passing on the legacy of dance in every way possible.

Jennifer Way Rawe danced with Twyla Tharp Dance from the 1975 to 1988. During her time with the Tharp Company, she performed in all of the company’s active repertory, including projects for television and film, such as Hair, Ragtime, and Amadeus. Besides being a performer, Jennifer Way Rawe was responsible for reconstructing and rehearsing repertory within the Tharp Company and transferring Tharp’s works to other companies. She has taught and coordinated numerous workshops and master classes for Twyla Tharp Dance and independently. From 1990 –1997, Ms. Way Rawe served on the faculty at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and from 1999 – present, she has served as company rehearsal director for Dancewave’s Kids’s Company, in Brooklyn NY, and continues to teach and stage Tharp repertory in colleges and universities.