Deuce Coupe II

A newspaper clipping of members of the Joffrey performing Deuce Coupe II in Chicago in 1975. Photo by Herbert Migdoll.

Members of The Joffrey Ballet in studio rehearsal and performance footage.

Hanniford in Deuce Coupe II in 1975. Photo by Herbert Migdoll.

Premiere

Date

4 February 1975

Company

The Joffrey Ballet

Venue

Auditorium Theatre

Location

Chicago, IL

Production

Choreographer

Twyla Tharp

Music by

The Beach Boys

Arranger

David Horowitz

Lighting Designer

Jennifer Tipton

Costume Designer

Scott Barrie

Scenic Designer

James Rosenquist

Assistant to Ms. Tharp

Rose Marie Wright

Ballet Mistress

Diane Orio

Dancers

Donna Cowen, Ann Marie DeAngelo, Erika Goodman, Jan Hanniford, Krystyna Jurkowski, Pamela Nearhoof, Beatriz Rodriguez, Rebecca Wright

Adix Carman, Gary Chryst, Richard Colton, Donn Edwards, Tom Fowler, Larry Grenier, William Whitener

Number of Dancers

15

Dance Sections

I. Feet Pete
Grenier, Nearhoof, Chryst

II. Texan
Nearhoof, Chryst

III. Popa, Mama
Rodriguez, Wright, Colton, Chryst, Edwards, Grenier, Whitener

IV. Arabesque/Attitude Chasse/Chaine
Nearhoof with Chryst, Cowen, DeAngelo, Hanniford, Colton

V. Little Deuce Coupe
Rodriguez with Grenier, Wright, Hanniford, Colton

VI. The Welfare Song
Rodriguez with Colton, Grenier, Hanniford, Wright

VII. Boogaloo
Colton, Cowen, Nearhoof, Edwards, Fowler, Jurwoski, Hanniford, Whitener and Wright

VIII. Pas/Port de Bras
Chryst, Colton, Edwards, Fowler, Whitener with Wright and Grenier

IX. Water
Cowen, DeAngelo, Hanniford, Rodriguez, Jurwoski, Nearhoof, Wright

X. Quadrille Sur Erika’s Last Voyage
Goodman with Edwards, Rodriguez, Wright, Grenier and Chryst

XI. Wouldn’t It Be Nice
Wright

XII. Texan
Grenier, Nearhoof

XIII. Wouldn’t It Be Nice
Whitener, Wright, Carman, Cowen, DeAngelo, Edwards, Hanniford, Fowler, Rodriguez

XIV. Cuddle Up
Full Company

Description

Premiering almost two years after the original version, Deuce Coupe II was revised for an all-Joffrey cast. Tharp rearranged sections, added new songs, cut others and re-worked the interludes with the assistance of David Horowitz to include electronic manipulations. A large-scale backdrop by James Rosenquist replaced the live art graffiti artists in order to make the work easier to tour.