The Catherine Wheel Suite
Choreography: Twyla Tharp
Music: David Byrne
“When Twyla Tharp’s ‘The Catherine Wheel‘ was premiered on Broadway, it was described by Arlene Croce of The New Yorker as “a major event in our theatre”, with “dancing of astonishing beauty and power”. David Byrne, the lead singer/composer of Talking Heads, wrote the original score with its relentless, shifting rhythms and poetically unspecific lyrics, which perfectly complement the non-stop flow of dance and the incorporation of mime and everyday movement. His collaboration with Twyla Tharp was described by the New Yorker as “the meeting of two of America’s most original minds”. It has certainly produced an unforgettable dance and video experience. If ever a programme demanded to be viewed again and again with a video recorder, this is it!”
World Premiere: Twyla Tharp Dance, September 11, 1981,
Winter Garden Theatre, New York, New York
Kansas City Ballet Premiere: May 11, 2006, Lyric Theatre, Kansas City, Missouri