ABSTRACT
Twyla Tharp began her career in 1965, at the age of nearly 23, with Tank Dive, a work in three movements, choreographed for herself and four non-dancers. It was performed partly to the accompaniment of Petula Clark’s recording of ‘Downtown’, in Room 1604-a small, Bauhaus-style auditorium-of Hunter College in New York City. Tank Dive lasted for seven minutes. Tharp began the first section wearing high-heeled bedroom slippers. She then changed into wooden shoes with rigid, flipper-like extensions in front. These confined her to one spot, but allowed her to move her upper body freely. Soon, she discarded the shoes, performing the rest of the work barefoot. At the end, she threw herself to the floor, face downwards, and then made her exit. She took no bows, declining to acknowledge the presence of the small group of people who had been watching her, though the fact that the performance was given in public, and that she had mailed out notices for it, implied her desire to make contact with an audience.
