Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp OBE visited The Knights Templar School on Wednesday 18th November for another engaging minds talk to current sixth formers about his life.
The former dancer came in for the afternoon to talk to students about his journey to success, his varied career in dance and his motivation to succeed.
Mr Tharp is the current chief executive of The Place, a non-profitable charitable dance corporation based in Camden, London. He has responsibility for overall leadership, strategy and management, as well as leading the responsibilities for relationships with funders, including Arts Council England. He has also received an OBE for his commitment to dance.
Mr Tharp’s 25-year performing career has included being a dancer at The Place’s London Contemporary Dance School, The London Contemporary Dance Theatre, The Arc Dance Company and The Nigel Charnock Company. He has worked extensively as a choreographer, teacher and director at The Royal Ballet School, The Royal Opera House and The National Youth Dance Company. He was Dancer in residence at Queens’ College, Cambridge and was Visiting Professor at The University of Lincoln. He was also the co-director of Artyfartyarts, a multi-disciplinary group choreographing over 45 dances!
More recently, he has become a Patron of Akademi, sitting on The Cultural Learning Alliance Steering Group, The Advisory Council of the Creative Industries Federation and being The BBC Young Dancer 2015 Category Finalist Judge.
During the talk, Mr Tharp talked about how people should be more aware of what is around them in everyday life, particularly the use of technology in busy public areas. As well as that, he discussed his passion for contemporary dance, sport and anecdotes of being in the industry. After the talk, Mr Tharp had a Q&A with fellow students.
In one question to him, which asked, “What do you think the government should be looking to fund more?” Mr Tharp replied that more funds should be put into the Arts industry. He quoted, saying that, “One day it will be a prerequisite that all future Prime Ministers have engaged deeply in dance, drama music and all the arts.” Mr Tharp even discussed this issue on Channel 4 News in 2011.
Mrs Brando who organised the event said that, "The talk was very interesting, informative and inspiring to students."