Country Dances
Rawe and Way perform during the taping of Making Television Dance in 1977. Photo by Herbert Migdoll.
Uchida, Way, Washington and Rawe perform in the “Alabama Jubilee” section.
Washington and Uchida perform during the taping of Making Television Dance in 1977. Photo by Herbert Migdoll.
From left to right: Way, Rawe, Washington and Uchida in a 1978 performance. Photo by Lois Greenfield.
From left to right: Way, Uchida, Rawe and Washington in a 1978 performance. Photo by Lois Greenfield.
From left to right: Uchida, Rawe and Washington in a 1978 performance. Photo by Lois Greenfield.
Premiere
-
Date
4 September 1976
-
Company
Twyla Tharp Dance
-
Venue
-
Location
Edinburgh, Scotland
Production
-
Choreographer
Twyla Tharp
-
Music by
The Hired Hands,
The Kessinger Brothers,
The Skillet Lickers,
Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers,
Johnny and Albert Crockett
-
Lighting Designer
Marty Kapell
-
Costume Designer
Santo Loquasto
Dancers
-
Number of Dancers
4
Dance Sections
I. Texas Quickstep (The Hired Hands)
II. Fifty Year Ago Waltz (The Hired Hands)
III. Rat Cheese Under the Hill (The Kessinger Brothers)
IV. Cacklin’ Hen and Rooster Too (The Skillet Lickers)
V. Took My Gal A-Walkin’ (Charlie Poole and The North Carolina Ramblers)
VI. Fresno Blues (Johnny and Albert Crockett)
VII. Alabama Jubilee (The Hired Hands)
-
Runtime
00:18:50
Description
Country Dances continuously shifts between duets, trios and a quartet; the dancers cut in, hand each other off and do-si-do through energetic partnering and square dance adaptations. The colorful silk costumes are inlaid with quilted squares, reminiscent of America’s rural spirit. The piece closes with a final quartet that illustrates the camaraderie that has developed between the dancers.
Country Dances was choreographed for the PBS special Making Television Dance (1977), though it was performed live before the program aired, premiering during the Edinburgh International Festival in 1976.
Past Performances
Twyla Tharp Dance
Country Dances (premiere) – The Fugue – Eight Jelly Rolls | Twyla Tharp Dance
Edinburgh, Scotland
September 4 1976 Premiere
Twyla Tharp Dance
Country Dances – Hither and Yon (premiere) – The Fugue | Twyla Tharp Dance
Edinburgh, Scotland
September 6 1976 Dance
Twyla Tharp Dance
Country Dances – The Fugue – From Hither and Yon | Twyla Tharp Dance
Berlin, Germany
September 11 1976 TTD Performance
Twyla Tharp Dance
Country Dances – From Hither and Yon – Sue's Leg | Twyla Tharp Dance
Tampa, FL
October 2 1976 TTD Performance
Twyla Tharp Dance
Country Dances – The Fugue – Eight Jelly Rolls | Twyla Tharp Dance
Tampa, FL
October 3 1976 TTD Performance
Twyla Tharp Dance
Country Dances – Cacklin' Hen – The One Hundreds – Sue's Leg | Twyla Tharp Dance
Brooklyn, NY
May 13 1977 TTD Performance
Twyla Tharp Dance
Sue's Leg – Simon Medley – Country Dances – Cacklin' Hen | Twyla Tharp Dance
Highland Park, IL
July 25 1977 TTD Performance
Twyla Tharp Dance
Country Dances – The Fugue – Sue's Leg | Twyla Tharp Dance
Becket, MA
August 2 1977 TTD Performance
Twyla Tharp Dance
Baker's Dozen (preview) – 1903 – Country Dances – Cacklin' Hen – Eight Jelly Rolls | Twyla Tharp Dance
Hartford, CT
February 3 1979 TTD Performance
Twyla Tharp Dance
Eight Jelly Rolls – Country Dances – Cacklin' Hen – 1903 – Baker's Dozen | Twyla Tharp Dance
Brooklyn, NY
February 16 1979 TTD Performance
Twyla Tharp Dance
Country Dances – Brahms Paganini – Sue's Leg | Twyla Tharp Dance
Saratoga Springs, NY
July 28 1980 TTD Performance
North Carolina School of the Arts
Country Dances | North Carolina School of the Arts
Winston-Salem, NC
May 8 2010 Workshop & Repertory
Twyla Tharp Dance
Country Dances – Beethoven Opus 130 – Brahms Paganini | Twyla Tharp Dance (Residency)
Tannersville, NY
April 16 2016 TTD Performance
Twyla Tharp Dance
Country Dances – Beethoven Opus 130 – Brahms Paganini | Twyla Tharp Dance (NY Season)
New York, NY
July 11 2016 TTD Performance
Twyla Tharp Dance
Country Dances – Beethoven Opus 130 – Brahms Paganini | Twyla Tharp Dance (Tour)
Mesa, AZ
October 7 2016 TTD Performance
- 1976
- 1977
- 1979
- 1980
- 2006
- 2007
- 2010
- 2016