Why I Care

One of the things that interests me about Paul Taylor is his ability to make work that is both funny and uplifting or dark and serious. I have just begun to realize how more comfortable I am in making work that is serious or psychological rather than light-hearted or funny. Paul Taylor though, seems to find a balance between both, and I admire that. He is able to drop subtle hints of something being "off" and then proceed with moments of humor, but always getting to the tragic humor of our faults as humans.

For instance, in "Company B", a work centered around music from the forties and the cheerfulness of wearing pastel colors dancing and celebrating being American, there is an underlying message of war and how at any moment they may be called to serve their country and die. The piece quickly introduces this parallel idea of joy and darkness by having people fall and "die" and then getting up again like nothing happen. Paul drops these subtle ideas that begin to compile and make sense, and the tragedy is that we forget about these psychological ideas of mourning, depression, and fear until we make the connections. Paul's ability to layer his work through costumes, music, dancing, and ideas is something that I appreciate.

Generally the public should note his work and follow his legacy as I would describe him, a virtuosic choreographer. He has created work about war, incest, homosexuality, and religion among other polar ideas. Paul has also been able to juxtapose and layer his works through concepts and music and even created work based on daily observation of people such as a woman trying to catch a bus ("Esplanade").  Even more interesting is that he does all of these works because it interests him, rather than making work that is solely about war or innocence.

Paul Taylor is just as in the "scene" as any other younger choreographers (in comparison to his age of 81 years old). He is still making work, two of his most recent within the last year are "House of Joy" and "Gossamer Gallants". His works still explore varying subjects like prostitution, insects, memory, an artists' experiences among others. Though some of our current choreographers explore site specific, improvisation, and/or technology, Paul is still holding strong with what he does, and from what I learn of him is that he would not have it any other way. He would not be jealous or envious, he would simply keep working until some new idea comes to him, not necessarily trying to compete with the more current dance scene, but perhaps leaving room to create work on the present day advances and probably poke fun of in some way.

by Jose