Twyla Tharp’s “Aquarius” in Milos Forman’s HAIR 1

Dance · Film

Preparing to interview Karole Armitage for an L.A. Times print edition tomorrow concerning her choreography for “HAIR,” I re-watched Twyla Tharp’s “Aquarius” from Milos Forman’s 1979 movie.

Armitage wasn’t too keen on Tharp’s version. She told me so when we chatted.

I like it a lot, however.

arts·meme reader Gina Buntz, the dance chair of the Los Angeles County High School of the Arts, writes:

Julie Arenal was the original choreographer/stager for “Hair.” She was and still is very close friends with Galt McDermott. She lives in Beachwood Canyon with her husband, actor Barry Primus.

Julie’s original staging for Hair was based on the ensemble dynamics that she learned with working with Anna Sokolow in the sixties. Julie was the original choreographer who knew how to weave pedestrian and concert dance movement between actors who can’t dance and those that can, a lesson that escaped both Tharp & Armitage.

Thank you for this clarification, Gina.

One comment on “Twyla Tharp’s “Aquarius” in Milos Forman’s HAIR

  1. CatM Jan 21,2011 10:08 pm

    Oh yeah. I wanted to wear funky clothes and put flowers in my hair and roll around on the grass with other dancers. And I finally did! In 1987. (So behind the times.) I think I’ve always liked this part of the film best. Thanks for posting it. Why doesn’t Karole Armitage like it? Will it be in the Times article tomorrow?

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