Men's Piece
Young, Tharp and Bishton (upstage to downstage) rehearses at the Wexner Center in 1991. Photo by Martha Swope.
Tharp rehearses at the Wexner Center in 1991. Photo by Martha Swope.
Tharp and O’Day rehearse at the Wexner Center in 1991. Photo by Martha Swope.
Tharp rehearses at the Wexner Center in 1991. Photo by Martha Swope.
Premiere
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Date
4 October 1991
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Company
Twyla Tharp Dance
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Location
Columbus, OH
Production
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Choreographer
Twyla Tharp
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Composers
Tammy Wynette,
George Leybourne,
George and Ira Gershwin,
Cole Porter
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Lighting Designer
David Finn
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Costume Designer
Santo Loquasto
Dancers
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Number of Dancers
5
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Runtime
00:37:30
Description
Men’s Piece is a short theatrical work that blends concert dance with the lecture/demonstration format. Tharp’s narration, not unlike The Bix Pieces (1972), is at once humorous, personal and academic.
A line of white tape divides the stage into two halves: “WORK” and “PLAY.” Tharp moves back and forth across the border. On one side, she teaches three men a march with rapid-fire instructions, such as “retrograde the inversion” and “flip fronts 94°.” On the other, she partners Kevin O’Day, alternately waltzing and grappling with him. Their final duet is based on isometric partnering – equal but opposing forces.
Past Performances
Twyla Tharp and Dancers
Octet (premiere) – Men's Piece (premiere) – Deuce Coupe (IV) | Twyla Tharp and Dancers
Columbus, OH
October 4 1991 Dance
Twyla Tharp and Dancers
Deuce Coupe (IV) – LittleBallet – Men's Piece – The Golden Section | Twyla Tharp and Dancers
Columbus, OH
October 5 1991 TTD Performance
Twyla Tharp Dance
Octet – Grand Pas: Rhythm of the Saints – Men's Piece – Ocean's Motion | Twyla Tharp Dance
New York, NY
January 28 1992 TTD Performance
Twyla Tharp Dance
Sextet (premiere) – Men's Piece – The Golden Section | Twyla Tharp Dance
New York, NY
January 30 1992 TTD Performance
Twyla Tharp and Dancers
Sextet – Men's Piece – The Golden Section | Twyla Tharp and Dancers
Tokyo, Japan
February 20 1992 Repertory
- 1991
- 1992