Twyla Tharp
60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee

Since graduating from Barnard College in 1963, Ms. Tharp has choreographed more than one hundred sixty works: one hundred twenty-nine dances, twelve television specials, six Hollywood movies, four full-length ballets, four Broadway shows and two figure skating routines. She received one Tony Award, two Emmy Awards, nineteen honorary doctorates, the Vietnam Veterans of America President’s Award, the 2004 National Medal of the Arts, the 2008 Jerome Robbins Prize, and a 2008 Kennedy Center Honor. Her many grants include the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellowship. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and an Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

In 1965, Ms. Tharp founded her dance company, Twyla Tharp Dance. Her dances are known for creativity, wit and technical precision coupled with a streetwise nonchalance. By combining different forms of movement – such as jazz, ballet, boxing and inventions of her own making – Ms. Tharp’s work expands the boundaries of ballet and modern dance.

In addition to choreographing for her own company, she has created dances for The Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, The Paris Opera Ballet, The Royal Ballet, New York City Ballet, The Boston Ballet, The Australian Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, The Martha Graham Dance Company, Miami City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Atlanta Ballet and Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Today, ballet and dance companies around the world continue to perform Ms. Tharp’s works.

Ms. Tharp’s work first appeared on Broadway in 1980 with WHEN WE WERE VERY YOUNG, followed by her collaboration with musician David Byrne on THE CATHERINE WHEEL and later by SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN. In 2002, Ms. Tharp’s dance musical MOVIN’ OUT, set to the music and lyrics of Billy Joel. Ms. Tharp later worked with Bob Dylan’s music and lyrics in THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ and COME FLY AWAY, set to songs sung by Frank Sinatra.

In film, Ms. Tharp has collaborated with director Milos Forman on HAIR, RAGTIME and AMADEUS. She has also worked with Taylor Hackford on WHITE NIGHTS and James Brooks on I’LL DO ANYTHING.

Her television credits include choreographing SUE’S LEG for the inaugural episode of PBS’ DANCE IN AMERICA IN 1976, co-producing and directing MAKING TELEVISION DANCE, and directing THE CATHERINE WHEEL for BBC Television. Ms. Tharp co-directed the television special BARYSHNIKOV BY THARP.

In 1992, Ms. Tharp published her autobiography PUSH COMES TO SHOVE. She went on to write THE CREATIVE HABIT: Learn it and Use it for Life, followed by THE COLLABORATIVE HABIT: Life Lessons for Working Together. In 2019, her fourth book was published, KEEP IT MOVING: LESSONS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

Today, Ms. Tharp continues to create.

Renan Cerdeiro

Renan Cerdeiro, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At a young age began practicing in various dance styles at the Escola de dança Alice Arja in Rio de Janeiro, where he did most of his training. In 2008, Cerdeiro was named a finalist at the Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland, and that same year was awarded a scholarship to train at the Miami City Ballet School. Within two years, he was invited by the company’s founding artistic director, Edward Villella, to join the Miami City Ballet as a company apprentice. In 2013, he was promoted to principal dancer by current artistic director Lourdes Lopez. Cerdeiro has performed numerous principal roles in works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Christopher Wheeldon, Alexei Ratmansky, Liam Scarlett, Twyla Tharp, Paul Taylor, Nacho Duato, Pam Tanowitz, Brian Brooks, Peter Martins, Sir Kenneth Macmillan, Richard Alston and original works by Justin Peck. Additionally, Cerdeiro has performed leading roles in classics such as Petipa’s Coppélia, Giselle and Don Quixote, John Cranko’s Romeo & Juliet and Alexei Ratmansky’s Swan lake. Cerdeiro has danced at the New York City Center and at the Koch Theater in New York, participated in multiple Works & Process at the Guggenheim museum, was part of the Vail Dance Festival and Nantucket Dance Festival, performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C, performed at the Music Center and Cal Performances both in California, Jacob’s Pillow in Massachusetts, Harris Theater in Chicago, Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, as well at the Bolshoi Theater in Russia as part of the Benois de la Danse Gala. Cerdeiro was named by Dance Magazine as one of the world’s “Top 25 Artists to Watch in 2011”. Most recently, Cerdeiro has been guesting as a principal dancer and working with Twyla Tharp Dance.

Angela Falk

Angela Falk is from the San Francisco Bay Area, and received her BFA from The Juilliard School in 2017, where shewas awarded the Joseph W. Polisi “Artist as Citizen” prize. Since 2018, she has been a member of the CCN Ballet deLorraine in France. Angela previously danced for Limón Dance Companyand the Merce Cunningham Trust, amongothers, and is very excited to join the Twyla Tharp Dance Company for this 60th Anniversary Tour.

Zack Gonder

Zack Gonder grew up near Chicago and trained at the Chicago Academy for the Arts, under the tutelage of Randy Duncan. He graduated from the Juilliard School in 2018 where he performed works by Austin McCormick, Aszure Barton, Pam Tanowitz, Richard Alston, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano and Crystal Pite. He recently was in the Broadway show Illinoise at the St. James Theater, as well as its Off Broadway runs at the Park Avenue Armory and the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. He has performed with Pam Tanowitz Dance, Brian Brooks Moving Company, PARA.MAR Dance, Zvi Dance and the Mark Morris Dance Group. He is very excited to be part of Twyla Tharp Dance.

Oliver Greene-Cramer

Oliver Greene-Cramer was raised in southern Vermont where he received his early training at the Brattleboro School of Dance and Burklyn Ballet Theatre before obtaining his BFA from the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance. Prior toTwyla Tharp Dance,Oliver was a member of Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Ballet Austin, and Los Angeles Dance Project. In his career Oliver has performed works by Twyla Tharp, Pam Tanowitz, Lar Lubovitch, Pontus Lidberg, Christopher Wheeldon, George Balanchine, Merce Cunningham, Anthony Tudor, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Stephen Mills, Benjamin Millepied, Septime Webre, Salia Sanou, Thang Dao, Janie Taylor, Dimitri Chamblas, and others. Additionally, he has had the privilege of performing in such festivals asJacob’s Pillow (2019), Danza in Arte a Pietrasanta (2017),Vail Dance Festival (2023), and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (2011, 2013,2019). Oliver has also performed in works by artists Rodney McMillian (2018–Against a Civic Death), Jack Ferver (2019-Mon Ma Mes), and Madeline Hollander (2023–Devotion).

Kyle Halford

Kyle Halford (he/him) is a 2021 BFA graduate from the University of Arizona and received the Undergraduate Creative Achievement Award junior year. Upon graduation, Kyle joined Eisenhower Dance Detroit as a company member, where he performed featured roles in new works by Maleek Washington, Hope Boykin, Tamisha Guy, and many other choreographers. In 2023, Kyle moved to New York City to pursue his passion and has been working with Twyla Tharp since, including her new work for Little Island last year, “How Long Blues”. Aside from his work with Tharp, Kyle was recently a guest artist with Mark Morris Dance Group and is a company member with Skyla Schreter Dance. A few other highlights this past year include an evening length work by Alexander Anderson, film projects by Chelsea Thedinga & Dylan Pearce, and a new solo creation by Igal Perry. Kyle is ecstatic to be joining Twyla Tharp Dance for this momentous tour in celebration of Tharp’s accomplishments.

Daisy Jacobson

Daisy Jacobson is from Los Angeles, California and earned her BFA in Dance from The Juilliard School in 2017. Soon after, she joined Benjamin Millepied’s LA Dance Project where she performed in new works and repertoire by Millepied, Justin Peck, Kyle Abraham, Ohad Naharin, Martha Graham, Bella Lewitzky, Janie Taylor, Madeline Hollander, Gianna Reisen, Jill Johnson, Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber. In 2022, Daisy guested with Twyla Tharp Dance and performed in the revival of “In The Upper Room” and “Nine Sinatra Songs”. Since leaving LADP to pursue freelance work, Daisy has danced in Tharp’s “Ocean’s Motion” and “The Ballet Master” for the company’s season at The Joyce Theater and in “How Long Blues” at Little Island in 2024. Daisy was also a Guest Artist at Vail Dance this summer where she reconstructed and performed Tharp’s “1903” and premiered Justin Peck’s new work, “Nine Freights”. She will be joining the festival again in 2025. Daisy is also a part of Millepied’s new production in Paris titled, “GRACE”. She is a YoungArts Winner as well as a Princess Grace Award Nominee and a Presidential Scholar in the Arts. Daisy is thrilled to join Twyla Tharp’s 60th anniversary tour of 2025.

Miriam Gittens

Miriam Gittens (Dancer) was born and raised in Fresno, CA, where she received a diverse dance education at The Dance Studio of Fresno. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from The Juilliard School in 2017. Following graduation, Miriam joined chuthis, a project-based company presenting the work of Peter Chu, and continues to collaborate there. In 2018, she joined Ballet BC under the direction of Emily Molnar. Miriam had the extreme honor of performing works by Aszure Barton, Sharon Eyal & Gai Behar, William Forsythe, Johan Inger, Felix Landerer, Ohad Naharin, Out Inner space, Crystal Pite, and Medhi Walerski, spanning over four seasons. In 2022, Miriam returned to New York to join Gibney Company, where she is currently an Artistic Associate. In 2023, Gittens was featured in Dance Magazine’s “On the Rise” column.

Nicole Morris

Nicole Morris, a movement artist from Sarasota, FL, has been passionate about the arts from a young age. She trained intensively with Cheryl Copeland and Sarasota Ballet before earning her BFA in Dance from Florida State University. After graduation, Nicole moved to New York City, where she began working with Kristin Sudeikis and Jackie Nowicki’s, NOWDance Project. She continues to perform actively with Kristin Sudeikis Dance. As a concert dancer, Nicole has performed works by Twyla Tharp, Al Blackstone, Reed Luplau, Lauren Lovette, Troy Schumacher, Hope Boykin, Melissa Hough, Josh Prince, and Cherice Barton. She has also participated in pre-production workshops for several Broadway shows. Nicole’s additional credits include music videos for Darlingside’s “All the Lights in the City”, Ben Harper’s “Uneven Days”and “Disappear”, and Alison Sudol’s “The Runner”, all choreographed and directed by Kristin Sudeikis. Nicole is so excited to be a part of Twyla’s 60th Anniversary Tour!

Marzia Memoli

MARZIA MEMOLI from Palermo, Italy, graduated with high honors from the Academy of Teatro Carcano in Milan. Memoli attended the Maurice Bejart School under the direction of Michael Gascard. She was asked to perform by Artistic Director Gil Roman in “The Ninth Symphony” and “Le Sacre duPrintemps” with the Bejart Ballet Lausanne. In 2016 she joined the Martha Graham Dance Company. Her repertory with the Company include Graham’s The Rite of Spring as the Chosen One, El Penitente, Chronicle, The Princess in Cave of the Heart, Satyric Festival Song, Diversion of Angels, Dark Meadow Suite, Act of Light, Deep Song, Satyric Festival Song.She performed works by Hofesh Shechter, Elisa Monte “Treading”, Bobbi Jean Smith, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui,Maxine Doyle, Pam Tanowtiz, Sonya Tayeh, Pontus Lidberg, Micaela Taylor, Lar Lubovitch, Andrea Millerand Jamar Roberts. In 2022 she performed for Twyla Tharp in “In the Upper Room” and “Nine SinatraSongs” at New York City Center.She is a recent recipient of the Fini International Rising Star Award 2023. Memoli is currently working with Twyla Tharp for this 2024/2025 season.

Alexander Peters

Alexander Peters was born and raised in State College, PA and began his early dance training with teacher Nicole Swope. He was later accepted to the School of American Ballet and attended as a recipient of the Andrei Kramarevsky Scholarship. Peters is currently a Principal dancer with Miami City Ballet and has performed across the US, Canada, and Europe. His extensive repertoire includes works by GeorgeBalanchine, Jerome Robbins, Alexei Ratmansky, Twyla Tharp, Paul Taylor and many others. Throughout his career he has originated featured roles in numerous works and has additionally filmed archival segments with the George Balanchine Foundation. He has previously performed with both Pennsylvania Ballet and KansasCity Ballet and is a recipient of a Princess Grace Award and the 2010 Mae L Wein Award for outstanding promise.

Molly Rumble

Molly Rumble is a freelance artist based in New York City. She began studying ballet in her hometown of Virginia Beach, VA at Ballet Virginia and Virginia Beach Ballet Academy. Rumble continued her dance training at Butler University under the direction of Larry Attaway and graduated cum laude in 2020 with her Bachelors of the Arts in Dance Pedagogy. While dancing with Butler Ballet she performed notable roles such as the principal woman in Gerald Arpino’s Light Rain and a soloist Patrick de Bana’s Falling Sky. In 2021, Rumble joined the City Ballet of San Diego where she performed principal and soloist roles, including Queen of the Dryads in Don Quixote and Snow Princess in The Nutcracker. She then moved to New York City in 2022 to freelance and has since performed with multiple companies and dance projects. Rumble has traveled to Europe and the UK performing with the Berlin-based ballet collective Ballet Surreal, has guested as a principal with Prague Festival Ballet, and most recently danced with English National Ballet in Derek Deanne’s Swan Lake In-the-Round at the Royal Albert Hall.

Reed Tanklersley

REED TANKERSLEY is from Northern California, and earned his BFA from the Juilliard School in 2014.Shortly after, Reed joined Twyla Tharp’s 50th Anniversary Tour and has continued to perform with thecompany in numerous Tharp works including “In the Upper Room”, “Nine Sinatra Songs”, “How LongBlues”, “The Fugue”, “Brahms Paganini”, “Ocean’s Motion” and “Eight Jelly Rolls”. He has also worked asa repetiteur for Tharp’s “Baker’s Dozen.”In 2019, Reed ran away to the circus and toured the country as thelead performer in Cirque Du Soleil’s, “Volta”. Reed is a YoungArts Winner and one of Dance Magazine’s “25to Watch”.