There are things that are always just a dose of serotonin: puppy videos, warm desserts, and Paul Taylor’s Esplanade. On Sunday November 24, the Paul Taylor Dance Company had a very special performance commemorating the 50th anniversary of his signature work.
Very often, these gala performances end up being anti-climactic. But the whole afternoon was wonderful, and an indication of the continuing strength of the PTDC after the death of its founder.
The opener was Arden Court, which I’ve always thought of as a stroll through a garden. Arden Court is the zen cousin to Esplanade. Instead of the frenetic running and jumping of Esplanade, you have more serene movements. It’s softer, more romantic. The William Boyce score doesn’t have the propulsion of Bach. The most well known moment in Arden Court is when a group of men line up, arms and legs spread like they’re doing jumping jacks, with one man in a handstand. It’s a fun, whimsical image for a fun, whimsical work.
The middle piece was the disturbing The Word. The curtain rises on a bunch of school kids dressed in old-fashioned prep school uniforms: navy knickers, suspenders, ties and white collared shirts and knee-high socks. It seems to be a religious cult of some sort, and the movements are ritualistic and suggest self-harming behaviours. The dancers contort themselves, flail, grovel, pound their chests. At certain points Paul Taylor re-created crucifixion images. A woman in a naked body suit (the incredible Madelyn Ho) almost suggests a pagan temptress. The pulsating score by David Israel is hard on the ears, but perfect for the mood of the piece.
As for the main event? The audience started applauding before anyone danced a step. The company is in great shape. The dancers have picked up the musicality, vigor and unaffected style of classic Taylor. I’ll single out the amazing Madelyn Ho for special praise. She is just a bundle of energy within a tiny, vital woman.
Can we talk (again) about just how brilliant Esplanade is? How Taylor used simple steps to convey community, love, belonging, family. There is a hint of darkness. The middle movement is often thought to be Taylor’s reflection about his own childhood. There is a “mother” and a “father” and kids, but the family never actually touches. Taylor has spoken about his distant, suburban family. But then the sun (literally) comes out again, and the finale of Esplanade is famous for being a burst of joy. The runs, skips, and rolls start to cascade as the music crescendos. The energy is irresistible. Audiences feel breathless just watching.
After the performance, the company brought on stage dancers from around the world who had performed Esplanade, and then Paul Taylor alumni who had performed Esplanade. Finally, several members of the original cast of Esplanade came onstage, including Carolyn Adams in the iconic “running girl” role. It is remarkable how decades after they’ve stopped dancing, former dancers are still incredibly elegant, with ramrod posture and a way of floating across the stage.
The company also gave baseball caps in the Esplanade colors (white, orange, pink and purple) as audience members exited. A nice gesture.
This Taylor season was a success. The company looked good in the Taylor classics. I saw them in Promethean Fire, and while I miss some of the raw abandon that earlier casts provided, today’s dancers danced it with undeniable polish. It was fun watching rarely performed Taylor. The odd Dust was my favorite discovery. Dust is like The Word in that it introduces a sinister, diseased society. Unlike The Word, Dust has moments of undeniable beauty and even hope. The ethereal Poulenc score is one of the best parts of Dust. How could something so ugly sound so beautiful?
There are some question marks. I saw one of the new Lauren Lovette works (Recess) and she is an odd fit for the Taylor company. Her choreography is pleasant, accessible, but she does not seem to have truly absorbed the modern dance choreography. Her appointment as Resident Choreographer remains puzzling.
But overall, the season had enthusiastic crowds, Taylor classics were well-danced, and the new dancers are absorbing the style well. And of course, PTDC will always have Esplanade to make audiences happy and box offices rich.
