Paul Taylor Dance Company

History

The Paul Taylor Dance Company was founded in 1954. One of the early touring companies of American modern dance, the Paul Taylor Dance Company has performed in more than 520 cities in 64 countries. In most years, about half of each performance season is spent touring in the United States. They first performed in Europe in 1960 and since have toured in Central and South America, throughout North America, in India, China, Korea, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Africa, the Middle East, the Baltics, and Russia.

Twyla Tharp joined Paul Taylor Dance Company in 1963 and two years later formed her own company. Carolyn Adams joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in 1965. During Adams's seventeen-year career with the company, she starred in several major productions including Orbs in 1966, Big Bertha in 1971; Aureole and Esplanade in 1975; and Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rehearsal) in 1980. Christopher Gillis joined in 1976. He was a member until his death in 1993. Bettie de Jong joined the Taylor Company in 1962. Noted for her strong stage presence and long line, she was Paul Taylor's favorite dancing partner and, as current Rehearsal Director, was his right hand for the past half-century. She finished her active dancing career in 1985 but remains the company's Rehearsal Director to this day.

The Taylor School has taught Taylor's style to professional-level dancers since 1984.

Mr. Taylor established Taylor 2 Dance Company in 1993 to ensure that his works could be seen by audiences all over the world regardless of economic considerations and the logistical limitations of non-traditional venues. While the Paul Taylor Dance Company is still performing and touring throughout the world, Taylor 2 has been temporarily closed.

In 2005, it was among 406 New York City arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.

In 2015, Taylor began a new program, called Paul Taylor American Modern Dance, in which works of modern dance by choreographers other than Taylor are included in the company's annual season at the Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.

Performances and repertory

Paul Taylor Dance Company's annual New York seasons have been presented at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater since 2012. Prior to that, beginning in 1977, New York City Center hosted the company's seasons, which have typically lasted up to three weeks, comprising as many as 20 dances in a single season.

Taylor created numerous formal dances, often to classical music, with complex patterning and intricate formations with tempos varying with the musical sections, from andante to allegro. Examples include Esplanade, Brandenburgs, Mercuric Tidings, Aureole, Arden Court, and Promethean Fire.

Taylor has made many dramatic works. A few listed here include Big Bertha, From Sea to Shining Sea, American Genesis, The Word, Speaking in Tongues, Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rehearsal), Last Look, Black Tuesday, and To Make Crops Grow.

American Modern Dance Masterworks

Commissions

Board

The company is a charitable, not-for-profit organization managed by a board of trustees and a board of advisors, with board co-chairs Dr. Nancy H Coles, and Robert Aberlin, and vice-chairs Richard E. Feldman, Esq, Douglas L. Peterson, Stephen Kroll Reidy, treasurer Joseph A. Smith, and secretary Elise Jaffe.

Awards

• Kennedy Center Honors (1992)
• MacArthur Fellowship (1985)
• Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography (1992)
• Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts (1961)
• Bessie Lifetime Achievement Award (2012)

Video performances

References

References

1. (2007-12-01). "Taylor, Paul B., (born 29 July 1930), choreographer; Artistic Director, Paul Taylor Dance Company, since 1954; President, Paul Taylor Dance Foundation (Board Chairman, 1966); Founder, Paul Taylor's American Modern Dance, 2014". Oxford University Press.
2. (2016-05-26). "Paul Taylor's vintage works and classic joys". The Washington Post.
3. "Carolyn Adams's Biography".
4. "Paul Taylor Dance Company {{!}} The Lo-Down : News from the Lower East Side".
5. Kourlas, Gia. (2015-03-06). "Paul Taylor, at 84, Has a New Mission With American Modern Dance". The New York Times.
6. Seibert, Brian. (2018-03-11). "Review: Paul Taylor Classics Outshine New Dances (His and Others')". The New York Times.
7. Kisselgoff, Anna. (1975-06-11). "The Dance: Paul Taylor's 'Esplanade'". The New York Times.
8. Macaulay, Alastair. (2012-03-22). "Paul Taylor Dance Company at David H. Koch Theater". The New York Times.
9. (2018-09-04). "Paul Taylor's Canon: Flippant, Savage, Idyllic". The New York Times.
10. (17 March 2015). "Review: Paul Taylor Troupe's Dizzying New Palette Takes Shape". The New York Times.
11. (18 March 2015). "Review: Paul Taylor's American Modern Dance at David H. Koch Theater". The New York Times.
12. [https://www.ptamdinfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/021216-PTAMD-2016-Season-Press-Release.pdf Press release]ptamdinfo.org {{Webarchive. link. (2020-11-23)
13. [https://www.ptamdinfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/101116-2017-PTAMD-Season-FINAL.pdf PTAMD Season]ptamdinfo.org {{Webarchive. link. (2020-11-23)
14. [https://www.ptamdinfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/021418-PTAMD-2018-Season-Announcement-FINAL.pdf PTAMD 2018 Season Announcement]ptamdinfo.org {{Webarchive. link. (2020-11-23)
15. Cristi, A. A.. "Paul Taylor Dance Company Performs THE GREEN TABLE At 92Y".
16. (12 February 2017). "Fast-moving premiere adds another epic dance to Paul Taylor repertoire, sharing bill with classic parody of human behavior".
17. Kourlas, Gia. (2022-11-04). "Dancing at Paul Taylor, a New Generation Finds Its Footing".
18. "Board".
19. Wakin, Daniel J.. (25 September 2012). "Paul Taylor to Receive Bessie Lifetime Achievement Award". ArtsBeat.