USC Dance Company Performs Twyla Tharp's Deuce Coupe

Kyra Strasberg, Artist in Residence at USC Dance, worked with Twyla Tharp choreographer Chris Uchida in the reconstruction of the masterwork Deuce Coupe for the USC Dance Company's An Evening of Dance Masterpieces performance at the Koger Center for the Arts on Feb 29th and March 1st, 2008.

The undertaking of this project brought to SC for the first time a choreographic masterpiece by the world renowned choreographer, Twyla Tharp. This collaboration fosters a creative partnership with Twyla Tharp Productions and the University of South Carolina Dance Company in a restaging and performance of this signature work. We are honored to be working with Ms. Uchida, who performed in the original cast of Deuce Coupe.

Twyla Tharp is a prolific choreographer who has choreographed more than 135 dances, 5 Hollywood movies, and directed and choreographed 3 Broadway shows. Deuce Coupe, originally staged for the Joffery Ballet, is a stunning pop ballet set to the music of the Beach Boys. The music's infectious good humor inspires references to the pop/social dances of its era, like the Jerk, the Swim and the Monkey, as well as arrangements for duets, trios and canons. Taking the Beach Boys' "pows" and "boogaloos" at face value the choreography delivers punchy and carefree accents along its way.

This marriage of music and dance has left audiences spellbound since its debut performance in 1973. Dance should be accessible to the general public and this contemporary work displays dance as highly entertaining, especially for a novice dance audience. The work is one-half hour in length and danced by eight women and seven men.

Deuce Coupe was made possible by a generous grant from the SC Arts Commission.

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of the USC Dance Company performing Deuce Coupe
during the An Evening of Dance Masterpieces concert,
March 2008