The Willie Smith Series

Music details
The Willie Smith Series
World premiere date
Premiere location venue
Attic of the house in New Berlin
Premiere location place
New Berlin, NY
Music by
Dancers

Twyla Tharp

Runtime
::
Other program information

The premiere date is an estimation of when Tharp first began recording her improvisations in New Berlin, New York. 

The Willie Smith Series is approximately seventeen hours of videotaped dance improvisations recorded over the course of Tharp’s pregnancy. She improvised daily to a Willie Smith vinyl, but recorded only half an hour every other week. Tharp focused on movement possibilities that developed as her pregnancy progressed. These recordings were later used to build material for Baker’s Dozen (1979). 

  • Tharp with video equipment in the attic of the New Berlin farmhouse in 1970. 

    <p>©Robert Huot</p>
Video Description

Excerpts of Tharp in the farmhouse attic.

Full music program

Various records by Willie "The Lion Smith"

Echoes of Spring
Published by Commodore Records in 1939

Music details