Sue's leg thumbnail Sue's leg thumbnail

Sue’s Leg, Remembering the Thirties

Rawe, Tharp, Wright and Rinker perform in rehearsal clothes. Photo by Bill Davis.

Tharp, Wright, Rawe and Rinker perform in the inaugural episode of “Dance In America.”

The cast performs Sue’s Leg: Remembering The Thirties on a soundstage for “Dance in America” in 1975. Photo by Herbert Migdoll.

Wright, Rawe and Tharp perform Sue’s Leg: Remembering The Thirties on a soundstage for “Dance in America” in 1975. Photo by Herbert Migdoll.

Tharp and Rinker perform on a soundstage for “Dance in America” in 1975.

Publicity for “Dance In America” featuring an image of Tharp from Sue’s Leg: Remembering The Thirties. Photo by Herbert Migdoll.

Premiere

  • Date

    24 March 1976

  • Company

    Twyla Tharp Dance

  • Broadcaster

    PBS

Production

  • Choreographer

    Twyla Tharp

  • Director and Producer

    Merrill Brockway

  • Music by

    Fats Waller

  • Lighting Designer

    Michael Mannes

  • Costume Designer

    Santo Loquasto

Dancers

Tom Rawe, Kenneth Rinker, Twyla Tharp, Rose Marie Wright

  • Number of Dancers

    4

  • Runtime

    00:58:30

Description

In the inaugural episode of the PBS series “Dance in America,” Sue’s Leg (1975) is performed in its entirety by the original cast. Camera angles and movement were devised to amplify the choreography. Close-ups create an intimate look at a soloist; long crane shots augment scale.

 

This recording captures four core company members at their peak of performance, preserving the dancers’ investment in the tight ensemble work unique to this Tharp group.

 

Dedicated to Suzanne Weil.

 

  • Commissioned by

    WNET