Twyla Tharp Dance: Diamond Jubilee with Third Coast Percussion
Detroit Opera
Feb. 2, 2025
Sixty years is an impressive career length, especially in the dance world, and Twyla Tharp – now 83 – is proving unstoppable. The renowned choreographer brought her company, Twyla Tharp Dance, to the Detroit Opera House last weekend as part of its Diamond Jubilee tour. It featured a two-piece program – “Diabelli” and “SLACKTIDE” – that showcased a highlight from its past and a new piece to signal an exciting future ahead. The company was joined by live musicians, pianist Vladimir Rumyantsev on “Diabelli” and Third Coast Percussion with Constance Volk on flute for “SLACKTIDE.”
Originally created in 1998, “Diabelli” is a playful, bouncy piece performed to Beethoven’s “33 Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120.” The hour-long number features dancers dressed in black pants with tuxedo-styled sleeveless leotards. As they enter the stage, their formal(ish) attire complements the dancers’ swooping up and down arm movements and big smiles – like a caricature of an orchestra conductor whose joy cannot be contained. It sets the tone for the rest of the work.
As the variations progress, the dancers enter on and off the stage in a series of solos, duets and small groups, taking on personas of rivalry, romance and pure play, where classical ballet lines and turns are paired with waltzing, claps and heel click jumps, sometimes dancing in reverse.
Tharp is known for her playful style that blends ballet, jazz and modern movement, which was made apparent in “Diabelli.” The work is fun and even funny at times, with laughter heard throughout the audience. With expert accompaniment from Rumyantsev, the effect is like watching the keys on a piano magically come to life to dance and play when they think no one is looking. While it does get a bit redundant at a certain point, the piece is happy and the energy of the dancers spreads to the energy of the audience. It is also an impressive feat of stamina for both the dancers and pianist.
The tone changes with “SLACKTIDE,” which premiered last month, performed to a reimagining of Phillip Glass’s “Aguas da Amazonia” in their first collaboration since 1986. Dressed in more casual black dancewear this time, “SLACKTIDE” – simply put – is a vibe. Third Coast Percussion isn’t just background music – it’s a palpable partner to the dancers featuring an array of specially-made, chromatically-pitched instruments, including marimbas, chimes and a funky-looking tube contraption. The result is a feeling of being in the rainforest amongst the wind, rain and wildlife, joined in a cacophony of sights and sounds.
One sight that was missing, however, was color. A piece set to music inspired by the Amazon had the opportunity to embrace all the vibrancy of the rainforest and didn’t take it. This was particularly disappointing after having already sat through an hour of black-and-white costumes for “Diabelli,” which was at least fitting to complement the piano focus.
The dancing, however, remained superb and is a good sign for the success of the company’s next 60 years.
(Click here for a second take on the performance, by Midbrow's Ryan Patrick Hooper.)
