TO TELLURIDE FROM NYC: TAYLOR 2 AT THE PALM

25 Sep TO TELLURIDE FROM NYC: TAYLOR 2 AT THE PALM

Taylor 2, The New York Times

Think of the troupe as an amuse bouche, served just before the main course to whet the appetite.

“Inclusion in Taylor 2 is a major achievement and a significant rite of passage in the dance world…Taylor 2 is just as strong as the main company, in different ways. They’re really exciting and they bring a freshness to their work that can’t be duplicated. Taylor 2 is not preaching to the converted – wildly enthusiastic dance-world audiences. Rather, the company is bringing more people to the fold, helping them to appreciate dance and Taylor’s vision of it.” – Carrie Click, The Aspen Times

“Taylor 2 is a kind of a miracle… All of the dancers are considerable talents [who] unite fearlessness with skill,” Gia Kourlas, New York Times

“A major interest is in seeing how ingeniously Taylor has edited his work for a six-person ensemble — half the size of the original… This version of Company B is not a patched hand-me-down, but a lighter and more intimate creation that delivers the same emotional knockout,” Robert Johnson, The Star-Ledger

Taylor 2, the junior ensemble of the Paul Taylor Dance Company, performs at Telluride’s Palm Theatre on Friday, September 28, 7 pm. This talented second company, comprised of six young dancers and honored as one of the most vital and accomplished of second troupes in New York City, was established by Paul Taylor in 1993 to bring his works to broader audience and allow for an intimate appreciation of the master’s approach to modern dance, revealing both structure and movement.

Paul Taylor, 81, is widely considered to be one of the foremost American choreographers of the 20th century and is among the last living members of the second generation of America’s modern dance artists in the tradition of Martha Graham. He has continued to win acclaim for his recent creations as well as stagings of his earlier works.

The evening’s repertoire, featuring “Airs”, “3 Epitaphs”, “Duet from Lento” and the technical tour de force “Esplanade”, will please any Taylor fan. Esplanade, set to Bach and originally choreographed for a larger cast, has been reworked for the smaller group and offers a look at one of Taylor’s most musically imaginative works.

According to a former director of Taylor 2, Paul Taylor has long devoted himself to creating dances that reflect daily life and he draws from his experience as a swimmer to give his dances an athletic, “underwater” quality. A second New York Times critic praised Taylor 2 as “a kind of miracle….all of the dancers are considerable talents….and they unite fearlessness with skill.”

Tickets for the September 28 performance are available at www.telluridepalm.com and are $32 for adults and $20 for students and children. (Ticket prices increase by $5 at the door.)

Note: Taylor 2 will be offering a master class for local dancers on Thursday, September 27, from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Call 369.5673 for more information.

Following Taylor 2, which sets the stage, literally, the “Live at the Palm” winter series continues the action at Telluride’s singular performing arts center. The schedule is as follows:

Golden Dragon Acrobats, December 23
Popovich Comedy Pet Theatre, December 29 and December 30
Diavolo, January 20
Hot Club of San Francisco, February 17

Reserve your seats now.