Legendary Paul Taylor Dance Company performs tonight
By Carolyn Clark
Posted: 3/26/08, 12:20 AM EST Section: Feature
Nature and fluidity are just a few things that make his memorable dances beautiful. Tuesday night, Paul Taylor, internationally acclaimed choreographer, sat down with Cathryn Newton, dean of The College of Arts and Sciences, to discuss the intricacies of dance.
Taylor explained he relies on his own body and muscles to give him inspiration. When accidents happen during rehearsals, he sometimes keeps them as part of the show.
"Sometimes the mistake is better," he said to his audience at Hendricks Chapel. "Our bodies are full of miracles we don't really understand."
Taylor's dance company will perform tonight at 8 p.m. at the Landmark Theatre. There were many dancers from the city of Syracuse in the crowd of about 70 excited to hear their idol speak.
"We're Paul Taylor groupies," said Linda Facciponte, artistic director of a local dance studio.
Taylor started out as a painting major at Syracuse University with a swimming scholarship. He waited tables and swept at the library to finance his studies while at SU. It was through his job at the library that he first became interested in dance, where he would read books and magazines about the art.
"I knew - Iknew - I was going to be a dancer," he said.
He remembers that the first three dances he performed in his career were at SU. Taylor laughed, remembering a dance he performed at a football game in the rain.
"It almost turned me off dancing all together," he said.
When he told his swimming coach he was transferring to Julliard to study dance, Taylor's coach thought he was crazy. But Taylor knew that dance was his true passion. No longer able to dance, the 77-year-old choreographer now focuses on creating innovative dances.
"I try not to repeat myself," he explained. "I've almost trained myself to forget."
With each dance he aims to start fresh and create something new.
Tonight, his latest dance, "The Banquet of Vultures," will premiere at the Landmark Theatre. Like many of his dances, it focuses on war and the animalistic nature of people.
"I wanted to show the dual nature that we all have," he said.
cjclar02@syr.edu
Taylor explained he relies on his own body and muscles to give him inspiration. When accidents happen during rehearsals, he sometimes keeps them as part of the show.
"Sometimes the mistake is better," he said to his audience at Hendricks Chapel. "Our bodies are full of miracles we don't really understand."
Taylor's dance company will perform tonight at 8 p.m. at the Landmark Theatre. There were many dancers from the city of Syracuse in the crowd of about 70 excited to hear their idol speak.
"We're Paul Taylor groupies," said Linda Facciponte, artistic director of a local dance studio.
Taylor started out as a painting major at Syracuse University with a swimming scholarship. He waited tables and swept at the library to finance his studies while at SU. It was through his job at the library that he first became interested in dance, where he would read books and magazines about the art.
"I knew - I
He remembers that the first three dances he performed in his career were at SU. Taylor laughed, remembering a dance he performed at a football game in the rain.
"It almost turned me off dancing all together," he said.
When he told his swimming coach he was transferring to Julliard to study dance, Taylor's coach thought he was crazy. But Taylor knew that dance was his true passion. No longer able to dance, the 77-year-old choreographer now focuses on creating innovative dances.
"I try not to repeat myself," he explained. "I've almost trained myself to forget."
With each dance he aims to start fresh and create something new.
Tonight, his latest dance, "The Banquet of Vultures," will premiere at the Landmark Theatre. Like many of his dances, it focuses on war and the animalistic nature of people.
"I wanted to show the dual nature that we all have," he said.
cjclar02@syr.edu
Be the first to comment on this story