Taylor 2
photo by tom caravaglia
Paul Taylor established the Paul Taylor 2 Dance Company in 1993 to ensure that his works could be seen by audiences all over the world, unhindered by economic or technical limitations. Working with longtime colleague Linda Hodes, he modeled Taylor 2 after the original six-member company he established in 1954. Taylor 2 is able to perform in smaller venues with more modest budgets than the larger Paul Taylor Dance Company without sacrificing any of the artistry that characterizes a Taylor performance.
Taylor 2 engagements are customized to meet the needs of each community and often consist of master classes and lecture demonstrations in addition to performances, which may take place in such non-traditional venues as office buildings, parks and public plazas as well as theaters. In selecting repertoire for Taylor 2, Mr. Taylor chooses dances that represent the athleticism, humor and range of emotions found in his work. Several of these dances have been reworked to enable the smaller ensemble of dancers to perform them.
Taylor 2 was inaugurated with a United States Information Agency-sponsored tour to six African nations in 1994, and in 1996 the Company toured to three Baltic nations. In 1997 Taylor 2 toured throughout India in tandem with the Paul Taylor Dance Company in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of India’s independence. The Company’s international touring has continued, with recent tours to Germany, Poland, Mexico and Canada.
Domestically, Taylor 2 tours extensively each year and has performed in all but two of the 50 States. Over the years, Taylor 2 has undertaken several statewide tours, including Wisconsin, Alaska, and South Carolina. In 2008, Taylor 2, in tandem with the Paul Taylor Dance Company, undertook an ambitious statewide tour of Pennsylvania, with performances in 20 cities and towns over four weeks. In November 2005, Taylor 2 and the Paul Taylor Dance Company completed an unprecedented 18-month 50-State tour in celebration of the Taylor Company’s 50th Anniversary.
Taylor 2 is particularly active within New York State and the New York City Public Schools, visiting classrooms in all five boroughs each year for performances, movement classes and lecture-demonstrations. Through affiliations with the Lincoln Center Institute and New York City Center, the Company performs for thousands of additional students annually. Taylor 2 has also customized more intensive curriculum-based residencies in cities across the country. The most ambitious of these was undertaken during the 2006-07 school year when Taylor 2 spent four full weeks in the Boston Public School District.
ptdc.org
The Yard Performances
2014
"Aureole"
"Esplanade"
"The Uncommitted"