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How does Twyla Tharp create new dances?

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Choreographer Twyla Tharp comes up with new dance ideas not by writing them down but by dancing them out first herself. Her process, as she shows here, is very physical.

TRANSCRIPT

(soft music) (exhales deeply) (soft music) - I don't think about enjoyment It's not for enjoyment.

It's a part of that magic word process.

Without this, I can't do what I do, how I do it.

I don't make dances except from dancing.

Dances come from dancing.

I don't make a dance.

I dance.

And then something starts to make sense.

Then I try it out on other dancers either directly or something suggested by what I'm just trying to do.

And then from that, a dance will evolve.

If the idea is good enough if it's strong enough.

But I can't jump to the end without starting at the beginning.

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