Twyla Tharp

Twyla Tharp, a name synonymous with modern dance, began her illustrious career shaking things up. Born into a Quaker family, her early life involved moving around quite a bit, which perhaps explains her later penchant for refusing to stay put in any one choreographic style. Her parents, bless their bohemian hearts, named her after a 'Twyla' character in a short story, setting her on a unique path from day one.

Tharp's signature blend of ballet, modern dance, jazz, and even pedestrian movements made her a force to be reckoned with. She founded her own company, Twyla Tharp Dance, in 1966, and proceeded to create over 160 works, including ballets, Broadway shows, and film dances. Her collaborations with everyone from Mikhail Baryshnikov to Billy Joel suggest a woman who knows how to get things done, and how to get people to dance to her tune.

While her movements are often described as fluid and innovative, her personal connection to anything Jewish appears to be about as fluid as concrete. There's no hint of ancestral bagels or a Hanukkah menorah in her storied past, nor any indication she's ever accidentally wandered into a synagogue.