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Joffrey Ballet

Celebrating 50 years of peerless dance making—that first tour was conducted from a station wagon and a U-Haul trailer!—the Joffrey continues to astonish world audiences with its unique blend of brilliant technique and the quintessential American spirit. The Berkeley program features Twyla Tharp's Deuce Coupe (1973), the choreographer's carefree classic about teenagers at play, set to the music of the Beach Boys; Laura Dean's "Sometimes It Snows in April," from Gerald Arpino's 1993 production of Billboards, set to the classic song by Prince; and Robert Joffrey's demure and witty Pas des Déesses, which was featured in that first company season a half a century ago. "It's Joffrey's destiny to dance for the ages" (Chicago Tribune).

Program: Tharp/Deuce Coupe, set to music by the Beach Boys; Dean/"Sometimes It Snows in April" from Billboards, set to music by Prince; Joffrey/Pas des Déesses, set to a solo piano work by John Field, performed live by Paul Lewis

Learn more about this event in the Annual San Francisco Chronicle Fall Arts Preview.

Program Notes
Program notes are available online. [PDF]

Video Clips
Several video clips are available exclusively on the Official Joffrey Ballet site
Television advertisement:
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Broadband version
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Video Program Notes: Focus on Twyla Tharp
Henry Berg, former Joffrey Ballet member and one of the original dancers in Deuce Coup, talks about working with Tharp. (Length: 7:00).:

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Broadband version
Dial-up version

RealVideo Format (Get free player)

Standard version

Blog
Watch as several dancers from American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet, and Miami City Ballet (as well as other companies) take behind the scenes pictures and post to this blog. http://thewinger.com/words/

Sightlines
Fri, Oct 5, 7-7:30 pm, Zellerbach Hall
Pre-performance talk with journalist Elizabeth Zimmer. This Sightlines event is free to all event ticket holders.

Education/Community Events
Focus on Twyla Tharp, Fall 2007
In addition to the performances by the Joffrey Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and American Ballet Theatre, a ballet by Twyla Tharp will be set on Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies students for the Berkeley Dance Project spring concert. Cal Performances will present a comprehensive look at Tharp's significance in American culture through a multifaceted humanities program, including lectures, a photography exhibition, and a discussion on the creative process led by Twyla Tharp . Made possible, in part, by the Consortium for the Arts at UC Berkeley. (More information).
Film Event Flyer (PDF)
Amadeus Flyer (PDF)