Background image Background image

Known By Heart

Kent and Corella in the opening section. Photo by Rosalie O’Connor.

Members of American Ballet Theatre in an excerpt from the third section.

Stiefel and Jaffe in Junk Duet (1998) as performed in Known By Heart (1998). Photo by Rosalie O’Connor.

Kent and Corella performing. Photo by Paul Kolnik.

Braun and Roberts perform the third section. Photo by Paul Kolnik.

Company dancers perform in the third section. Photo by Rosalie O’Connor.

Premiere

  • Date

    3 November 1998

  • Location

    New York, NY

Production

  • Choreographer

    Twyla Tharp

  • Composer

    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Danse Allemande, 1791),
    Donald Knaack (Junk Music, 1996),
    Steve Reich (Six Pianos, 1973)

  • Live Music by

    American Ballet Theatre Orchestra

  • Lighting Designer

    Jennifer Tipton

  • Costume Designer

    Santo Loquasto

Dancers

Principals
Julie Kent, Susan Jaffe

Angel Corella, Ethan Stiefel

 

Soloists
Griff Braun, Keith Roberts

 

Chorus
Oksana Konobeyeva, Ekaterina Shelkanova

Maxim Belotserkovsky, Marcelo Gomes, Giuseppe Picone, Sean Stewart

  • Number of Dancers

    12

Dance Sections

I. Kent, Corella

II. Jaffe, Stiefel

III. Roberts, Braun with Jaffe, Kent, Stiefel, Corella and Konobeyeva, Shelkanova, Belotserkovsky, Picone, Gomes, Stewart

  • Runtime

    00:41:23

Description

Known By Heart is a compilation of three dances that, when performed together, presents a broad spectrum of music and movement. The opening duet, set to Mozart’s “Danse Allemande,” is a display of counterpoint, infused with folk and social dance references.

 

Junk Duet (1998) makes up the second section. Donald “The Junkman” Knaack’s percussive score, played entirely on recycled materials, is an abrupt departure from the Mozart.

 

The third section is set to Steve Reich’s minimalist composition “Six Pianos.” Two men perform in mirrored unison; their duet forms the bass line on which the other dancers enter and exit in variations of earlier material.

 

From original program: “This ballet is dedicated to the memory of Bob Patino. The choreographer wishes to thank Stacy Caddell, Alexander Kølpin, Kelly Cass and Tom Gold for their contribution.”

 

Past Performances

American Ballet Theatre

Known By Heart (premiere) | American Ballet Theatre

New York City Center

New York, NY

November 3 1998 Premiere

  • 1998