For the first time in its 71-year history, the Paul Taylor Dance Company has two resident choreographers, and both will present to the world during the company’s Lincoln Center Season (November 4-23). While they come from a different world – Lauren Lovette is a principal dancer of the New York City Ballet (NYCB), and Robert Porsons made of the Athwin Ailey American Dance Theater of the years 1930-2018) is different.
“I don’t think it can be underestimated how much of an influence Paul is,” Taylor’s technical director Michael Novak told the audience. George Balanchine invited Taylor to be a guest artist with NYCB while he was a member of Martha Graham’s company and even performed a solo for her. Episodes (1959). And while Balanchine did neoclassical ballets and Taylor did modern dances, both artists shared a deep respect for music. Balanchine always listed the composer before the cartographer in his copy of the program, and Taylor followed suit. “Lauren represents that framework in terms of her art and her music,” says Novak, “and breaks down the conventions of what form is expected to produce. With Balanchine, you understand Paul well.” He was drawn to this aspect of his choreography when he hired him as the curator of the company’s first festival in 2022. “Also,” he added with a smile, “there’s a rebellious streak that always fascinates me.”
Battle comes through the Taylor Lineage directly. Although she did not dance in the company, her mentors Carolyn Adams and David Parsons were both Taylor’s top dancers. When the war brought taylor to work at ailey, he was able to meet taylor and talk to him. “Paul fell in love with Robert, Vovak said. “So there was a relationship there.” The war, which entered as an artist writer in 2025, also brings vitality and logic similar to Taylor’s.
“Taken together,” says Novak, “they are an amazing combination of Paul’s journey as an artist-writer.” The new works of Lovette and the war, which were not like November 11, are very different, but they share the most saturated themes: Looking to the past to look forward, accepting themselves and Balanchine before them – respecting the music.
Lauren Lovette’s – push
Lovette’s – pushhis seventh work for the company, set for John Adams Synchronize your fears and was inspired by his experience with ADHD. “I have pretty good ADHD,” Lovette told the audience. “I’ve always known that about myself and I felt like it was something negative, something that would be frustrating. But now I know it.” Lovette made – push In just four weeks – the shortest time we’ve ever built a career – during a major personal transformation. She moved up and gave birth to her daughter in the middle of the process and realized she could thrive under pressure. “I was very focused. Now that I can go back and see it, I love this dress and I think it’s not something I could have done if I just showed up.”
The work of the seven dancers bowed to their strongest grades. Lovette danced to the same music at Peter Martins’s Synchronize your fears . “Music is perfect because it has this fast, relentless, anxious atmosphere and I wanted to explore anxiety. I wanted something high-spirited because that’s how I see the world right now.” The score is actually undeniable and complex. Lovette channels that energy into her choreography, sequential solos, deets, trios and quartets without pausing. He explained: “Continuously they dance. “Each dancer will go hard for a minute or two and then leave the stage and breathe for 30 seconds, then exit. So it suits the other person.
Like Balanchine and Taylor, Lovette is admired for musical details. “They’re doing more and more deceptively slowly in small amounts. I enjoy listening to each little note, finding the bottom phrase, and then there’s life in the flow.
The creative process was an eye opener for Lovette. Despite his physical and mental burden – or perhaps because of it – he completed the work during filming. “I couldn’t ignore them
Robert War’s Under the rhythm of jazz
War Under the rhythm of jazz-The first work of the company of 15 dancers and set to a series of jazz, gospel and swing songs Wycliffe Gordon, ella fitzgerald, Mahalia Jackson, and Steve Reich. Inspired by the woman who raised him, it is an artistic and functional portrait that presents the war in poetry, jazz and social importance.
“I didn’t start thinking that I was making an ode to my mother and her influence in my life,” but as I chose music, everything came back that way … not as a person, but as an artist. “
One episode in particular brings their relationship into sharp focus. Set at Steve Reich’s Playing musicwhich is covered by a poem. “I was going to repeat it and record it, but I was at my mother’s house in Miami, and I told her about the poem, so you’re going to read it!”
While the movement style of the battle is dynamic and flashy, its tone is flashy. “I think I’m more afraid of being a personal person in this job than before. I feel that, in this next phase of my work, even if I’m very difficult.”
There is danger in work-and pleasure too. “My mother was always happy,” she said. “He lived more freely than what we have separated, race, ethnicity – but there was always laughter, and I wanted to communicate that as a form of resistance. Every time, this work is a celebration of the things I have learned watching him over the years.”
For combat, the pull of the company felt like there was a push. “[Taylor has] you’ve been in my orbit throughout my dance career, and now it feels more than serendipitous to be part of the legacy. ” He also appreciated knowing the dancers deeply. “I can’t say enough about how amazing they are as musicians and how amazing they are to work with. I think sometimes people think it’s an obvious thing, but it always needs to be said because there is a physical manifestation of inheritance. “
Other activities this season
As well as two World Premieres, the company will make a range of taylor Classics: To be ugly (1963), Still pineapple (1975), Disgethity (1978), Sunset (1983), Company B (1991), The Skipping of Offenbach (1995), A knife (1999), Trolioli and Cessida (reduced) (2006), Dear Renegade (2008), Gossamer Gallants (2011) as well Concertiana (2018). Highlighting the revival of Speaking in Tongues . Many pieces will be performed to live music by the orchestra of St.
And in season there is a return of the lovette Money (2022) and JODY SPERLIL Vive la Lo hakhoe! (2024), Company Premiere of War A magician (1999) and the New York Premiere of Themba Boykin’s How love sounds (2025).
“We took a lot of Taylor’s comedy pieces this season,” Novak said, “which was intentional. You need something, and so do we, the audience.” Speaking in Tongues and Dear Renegade Are difficult tasks test faith in different ways, but most of the pieces are fun. “It’s kind of generous, very warm for the most part, and we can’t wait to share it.”
The Paul Taylor Dance Company is in its David H. Koch Theater Lincoln Center season November 23, 2025.
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