Twyla Tharp

I used to say to myself, 'Well, in the old days everybody danced because they loved to dance, and there was none…

— Twyla Tharp

I look for dancers who have all the technique in the world. But they must be dancers who are open-minded, who are…

— Twyla Tharp

The last two - distractions and fears - are the dangerous ones. They're the habitual demons that invade the launch of any…

— Twyla Tharp

dance is simply the refinement of human movement - walking, running, and jumping. We are all experts. There should be no art…

— Twyla Tharp

Whenever I feel I'm working in a groove it's invariably because I feel I am being the benefactor in the situation rather…

— Twyla Tharp

Later in life, one of the compensations is gliding effortlessly into focus in a thing. Since it is who we are, anything…

— Twyla Tharp

To survive, you've got to keep wheedling your way. You can't just sit there and fight against odds when it's not going…

— Twyla Tharp

Without passion, all the skill in the world won't lift you above craft. Without skill, all the passion in the world will…

— Twyla Tharp

Nobody worked harder than Mozart. By the time he was twenty-eight years old, his hands were deformed because of all the hours…

— Twyla Tharp

Never worry that rote exercises aimed at developing skills will suffocate creativity. At the same time, it's important to recognize that demonstrating…

— Twyla Tharp

I don't think politicians should be allowed into power who are not familiar with their bodies, because that's where our bottom line…

— Twyla Tharp

Confidence is a trait that has to be earned honestly and refreshed constantly; you have to work as hard to protect your…

— Twyla Tharp

The notion of the hero as outsider, as alien, is forget it, over, done with. It's not about being against society anymore.…

— Twyla Tharp

A lot of people insisted on a wall between modern dance and ballet, that the two disciplines were totally separate, and if…

— Twyla Tharp

I also had a will that let me eliminate everything that stood in the way of my becoming the best dancer I…

— Twyla Tharp

It was not until I had graduated from college that I made a professional commitment to it. Frankly, I didn't think it…

— Twyla Tharp

When I'm in the studio, when I'm warm, when I'm what people call improvising, I feel a very special connection. I feel…

— Twyla Tharp

At the ballet classes I took when I first came to New York, I would see great dancers like Cynthia Gregory and…

— Twyla Tharp