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Twyla Tharp And Eight Jelly Rolls

Tharp and ensemble performing. Photo by Tony Russell.

Company dancers perform in seven brief excerpts.

Tharp during the BBC filming of Twyla Tharp and Eight Jelly Rolls in London in 1974. Photo by Tom Rawe.

Wright in the foreground of the fifth section filmed in London in 1974. Photo by Tony Russell.

Premiere

  • Date

    12 May 1974

  • Company

    Twyla Tharp Dance

  • Broadcaster

    BBC Aquarius on London Weekend Television

Production

  • Choreographer

    Twyla Tharp

  • Director and Producer

    Derek Bailey

  • Composer

    Jelly Roll Morton,
    Charles Luke

  • Music by

    Jelly Roll Morton and The Red Hot Peppers

  • Musicians

    Brian Lemon, Kenny Baker, Keith Christie, Roy Willox, Jack Collier, Martin Fray, Jack Cummings, and Judd Proctor

  • Lighting Designer

    Derek Cousins

  • Costume Designer

    Kermit Love

Dancers

Isabel Garcia-Lorca, Tom Rawe, Kenneth Rinker, Sara Rudner, Twyla Tharp, Nina Wiener, Rose Marie Wright

  • Number of Dancers

    7

  • Runtime

    00:49:15

Description

This BBC television special takes a cinematic approach to presenting Eight Jelly Rolls (1971). The production uses simple techniques, such as manipulated camera angles, cross dissolves, chroma key, and superimposition. The film also features a half-hour documentary including footage of Tharp and dancers in rehearsal.