The Paul Taylor Dance Company, Lincoln Center’s resident modern dance company, is currently performing at the Koch Theater (Nov. 4–23). ...
The Paul Taylor Dance Company, Lincoln Center’s resident modern dance company, is currently performing at the Koch Theater (Nov. 4–23).
To learn more about the Paul Taylor Dance Company, I interviewed Cathy Harding, the Taylor Company's director of external relations, about importance of modern dance and how Family Express programs makes tickets accessible for families.
Importance of Highlighting Modern Dance at Lincoln Center
Cathy Harding : Modern dance, as an American art form, has been breaking ground for more than 100 years and speaking to a contemporary esthetic. It really belongs in that same category of Performing Arts excellence.
With the Taylor Dance Company performing at Lincoln Center, as we have done now for many years, we really are establishing that modern dance at this level is appropriate and at home in Lincoln Center, in the same way that the other recognized great performing arts, like opera, symphony, theater, ballet and jazz are also at home there.
What it means for families, I think anytime we can expand the range of Performing Arts, styles and formats that kids and families are exposed to, we're really broadening the opportunity to respond artistically to the experiences that these artists are bringing to the stage.
Cathy Harding : And the broader the appeal, the better for everyone in terms of being able to find their own humanity in the works that they see on stage.
For some families, modern dance will be in some ways more accessible or relatable than ballet. For instance, I love ballet, but ballet clearly brings a kind of otherworldly technique, with people standing on pointe shoes and so forth that may seem hard to relate to, beautiful to appreciate but hard to relate to.
Cathy Harding : When you see dancers in bare feet, extraordinary feats of physical prowess, I grant you, but in bare feet and removed from that sort of elitist presentation, that in itself, may feel more approachable for some families. It may be a more porous gateway to the arts than some of what they see.
But I want to be sure that I'm not trying to draw a distinction that sort of says ballet is unreachable. I'm just saying that for some families, modern dance may seem more relatable.
Family Express Program
Cathy Harding : On Saturday, November 15 and Saturday, November 22 those are the two o'clock shows that are Family Express.
The key thing that we want to emphasize, is that the programming for both of those matinees is designed to be approachable, and very much with families, especially bringing younger kids to the theater.
The second thing to know is that the programs are designed to be 75 minutes without intermission, so that families can come in see a show starting at 2pm and be back out on the plaza, on the way to the rest of their day by 3:20pm.
Cathy Harding : I think that can be an asset for some families, who might find the idea of spending two hours and 15 minutes in theater a little daunting, and with intermissions, normally that's how long our shows will go.
The programming itself on both of those afternoons is really meant to show, the sort of delightful side of modern dance. When I say delightful, there's no sacrifice in terms of technique, athletic prowess, expression, costumes and these programs are performed to live orchestra, accompaniment by the orchestra of St Luke's.
So it's really a full bodied experience, eyes, ears, sound physicality.
Benefits of Introducing Young Children to Dance Performances
Cathy Harding : We help children appreciate that their own bodies are a source of communication and expression, and that they can find art and beauty in the way they move, and in the way they can watch other people move.
I think that opens up their consciousness, about being in community, about being in space with other people. And art is about opening your consciousness, right? That's, we hope, one of the many ways you explore humanity through art.
But some themes are mature, and with Michael Novak, our artistic director, he brought that very much in mind as he programmed these five pieces that are on the two family Express programs.
Cathy Harding : While Esplanade can be appreciated at very deep levels, I think the kinetic thrill of watching the running, the sliding, the leaping and the Daredevilry of it, makes it approachable for a younger child.
What is the age that you should experience? Some of that has to do with what is the age in which your child can sit in a seat or nearby you in a seat for an hour, or for 75 minutes.
We want to be realistic about about attention spans, bodily needs, nap time, all that kind of thing that might come into play. Only, the parent really knows that their child can sit and absorb an extended period of time.
Making Dance Performances Accessible to All
Cathy Harding : In addition to Family Express, in the interest of keeping the experience accessible, we have our opening night on November 4 and every ticket in the house is $10. Then every other night of the run (performances), we have tickets available at that price point ($10).
And I bring that up just to say that when you hear Lincoln Center, you can think sometimes, oh, it's sort of out of reach. We make a point of tiering our tickets in a way to keep it accessible for families and audiences at all levels.
Also that the live music is something that many modern dance companies are unable to commit to, but we commit to it for the performances.
Paul Taylor Dance Company at Lincoln Center
The Paul Taylor Dance Company, the only Company to bring modern dance to Lincoln Center since 2012, will return to the David H. Koch Theater for three weeks, November 4-23, 2025.
The repertoire features classics by Paul Taylor that display his extraordinary range, from such timeless audience favorites as Esplanade and Company B to the rarely seen treasure, Speaking in Tongues, a meditation on American religious extremism that won an Emmy Award for its television broadcast.
Other Season highlights include the return of Taylor’s Walt Whitman-inspired Beloved Renegade, Cascade, Diggity, Gossamer Gallants, Offenbach Overtures, Scudorama, Troilus and Cressida (reduced), and Concertiana, the last of Taylor’s 147 dances.
The repertoire also includes World Premieres by Resident Choreographers Lauren Lovette and Robert Battle that are the direct result of 2024’s Taylor Future Dance Initiative to develop outstanding dance makers.
Hope Boykin’s How Love Sounds will have its New York Premiere, and Jody Sperling’s Vive La Loïe! will return for the second Season in a row.
Orchestra of St. Luke’s Live Performance
As it has for all Taylor Lincoln Center performances since 2015, Orchestra of St. Luke’s will perform live, led by Taylor Music Director David LaMarche. The Season also features soprano Devon Guthrie and St. George’s Choral Society.
Expanding Access
The Season continues PTDC’s commitment to welcoming audiences through a range of initiatives:
Opening Night (Nov 4)
Every seat $10, made possible by Elise Jaffe and Jeffrey Brown.
$20 Under 40
Anyone 40 and under can purchase $20 tickets with free online registration.
Family Express (Nov 15 & 22)
Two family-friendly matinees featuring 75-minute no-intermission programs for audiences of all ages.
John and Jody Arnhold Tier 3 Dance Education & Audience Education Initiative
10th Anniversary – Celebrating a decade of impact, this landmark program has welcomed more than 30,000 public-school students, teachers, and caregivers to the Koch Theater.
In partnership with the Taylor Center for Dance Education, it continues to provide free tickets and introduce thousands of young people to the transformative power of modern dance each year.
Polaris Project
Partnerships with community organizations, schools, and universities offer free/low-cost tickets, educational resources, workshops, and Q&As to deepen engagement with modern dance.
Tickets to the Season are on sale at - www.boxoffice.dance
For more information and full Season details, visit - www.paultaylordance.org
