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Mud

Uchida and Colton perform in 1977. Photo by Lois Greenfield.

An excerpt from Section III, performed by Uchida, Washington, Colton and Kurshals.

Colton, Washington, Kurshals and Uchida perform in 1977.

Premiere

  • Date

    12 May 1977

  • Company

    Twyla Tharp Dance

  • Location

    Brooklyn, NY

Production

  • Choreographer

    Twyla Tharp

  • Composer

    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Six Country Dances, 1784 and Divertimento in F Major, K. 13, 1772)

  • Live Music by

    St. Paul Chamber Ensemble:

    Regis Iandiorio (violin), Ira Lieberman (violin), Michael Bloom (viola), Jeanne LeBlanc (cello)

  • Lighting Designer

    Jennifer Tipton

  • Costume Designer

    Santo Loquasto

Dancers

Richard Colton, Raymond Kurshals, Tom Rawe, Christine Uchida, Shelley Washington, Jennifer Way, Kimmary Williams, Rose Marie Wright

  • Number of Dancers

    8

Dance Sections

I. Duet: Speed
Way, Kurshals

II. Trio: Air
Wright, Uchida, Willaims

III. Quartet: Fire
Washington, Uchida, Kurshals, Colton

IV. Duet: Water
Washington, Colton

V. Quartet: Earth
Wright, Rawe, Way, Kurshals

  • Runtime

    00:13:10

Description

The fast and frenetic opening section of Mud gives way to a female trio that floats downstage en pointe. In the section “Air,” classical vocabulary is interspersed with off-center suspensions lending lightness to the movement and attitude. A sharp, slicing quartet in silence follows. The syncopated movement gives the feeling that everything is happening in fast forward. A lyrical solo segues into the final section with the entrance of a quartet wearing sneakers. The “Earth” section integrates seemingly incompatible actions – the whirlwind gestures, falls and catches and fluid adagio – into a complex swirl of movement.

 

The spectrum of movement and divergent footwear explored here serve as an early prototype for In The Upper Room (1986).

 

From the original program: “Shoes for Mud by Capezio and Frederick Freed, Ltd. Adidas sport shoes supplied courtesy of Libco.”

Past Performances

Twyla Tharp Dance

The Hodge Podge (premiere) – Simon Medley (premiere) – Mud (premiere) – The Bix Pieces | Twyla Tharp Dance

Brooklyn Academy of Music

Brooklyn, NY

May 12 1977 Dance

Twyla Tharp Dance

Mud – The Fugue – The Bix Pieces | Twyla Tharp Dance

Brooklyn Academy of Music

Brooklyn, NY

May 20 1977 TTD Performance

Twyla Tharp Dance

The Hodge Podge – Mud – The Bix Pieces | Twyla Tharp Dance

Walker Arts Center

Minneapolis, MN

May 27 1977 TTD Performance

Twyla Tharp Dance

Mud – The Fugue – Eight Jelly Rolls | Twyla Tharp Dance

American Dance Festival at Connecticut College

New London, CT

July 29 1977 TTD Performance

  • 1977