On November 5th and November 11th, the Fieldston community had the opportunity to see the Paul Taylor Dance Company perform at Lincoln Center. Free tickets, distributed by the events team at Fieldston, were available on the website for everyone in the community, including parents and guardians, teachers, students, and alumni. Carolyn Adams, Fieldston class of ‘61 and the director of education at the Paul Taylor Dance Company, kindly provided the tickets to the fabulous show. I had the pleasure of attending the event with a friend and we both found it to be exciting, entertaining and educational.
Referred to as “one of the most delightful dance companies in the entire world” by the New York Times, the Paul Taylor Dance Company is one of the premier modern dance companies. Featuring both male and female dancers in a variety of costumes, the company originated in 1954. The performance on November 11th featured three dances: “Somewhere In The Middle,” “Eventide” and “Esplanade.”
The first dance, “Somewhere In The Middle,” was a lively celebration of color and art. The costumes were in neon hues of yellows, pinks, oranges and reds. The dancers moved with exuberance and speed, with impressive footwork, some of which I could not catch from my vantage point near the top of the theater. Solos, duos and trios shined on the stage, but my favorite was the ensemble; all the dancers together created an energy the smaller numbers could not recreate. The music – joyful and jazzy – added to the performance immensely. The atmosphere was so contagious, that my friend and I almost felt like getting up and dancing ourselves.
The second dance, “Eventide,” was less energetic, but more controlled and dramatic. The dancers glided down the stage in intricate patterns, wearing costumes in varying shades of muted tan and brown. Set to moving, crystalline music, such as “Moto Perpetuo” by Ms. Borres and Mr. Clayton, the dance flowed seamlessly.
My favorite dance was “Esplanade,” the thrilling conclusion to the performance. Bach’s concertos, paired with dynamic and shocking movements created a dance that even those who hate sitting still for long periods would pay to see. The dancers did complicated movements, sometimes in sync and sometimes on their own. In 1975, when Paul Taylor saw a girl running to catch a bus, he was inspired to create “Esplanade,” based on pedestrian movement. Intense and vibrant, I would willingly return just to see it.
What made the dances most enjoyable was experiencing this opportunity amongst other Fieldstoners. Between meeting alumni, saying hi to old teachers and spending time with my friend, it was a true community experience. Liv Kunzer (Form III), who attended the same performance I did, exclaimed, “I would love to do something like this again! It is just so fun to watch these kinds of things with other people from school.” Between the community, the dances and the chance to spend a Sunday doing something other than homework or watching TV, the Paul Taylor Dance Company performance was one of my favorite ECFS experiences.
