I was lucky enough to be involved as a consultant with Brooklyn Academy of Music, and with Judy Daykin, ex-GM (?) with Paul and once had dinner on the rooftop of his house in the West Village in the 70s (?). Judy always recalls when on tour in South America, the crew had to perform this last 'movement' on a rough stage floor where they had to endure splinters as they slid across. Ouch !! Professionalism from the originals, Carolyn, Ruth, Elie, Bettie, Nick, Robert, Linda, Monica and Lila - you will always live on this video recording !!!
My God, what energy it must take to execute this choreography and never break a sweat. Simply marvelous, the way he understand the music. The full company unisons near the end are so stunning, and to end with the single onstage dancer.... brilliant.
I have seen Esplanade a number of times. I am always thrilled/moved. Taylor has taken everyday steps and turned them into incredible movements and a masterpiece of modern dance.
I studied with the company, in fact this very crew, when I was a student at Jacobs pillow way back in the day. The slides were fantastic to do. And the choreography was a delight. The company performed Esplanade during the week that they were at the pillow and that was also a revelation to watch. I still dance and I’m just wondering if at 66 I can still do the slide. LOL
This is the company that I fall in Love...first time I saw Esplanade my eyes and heart had an orgasm! Ruth was my favourite dancer ever!!!!! I wish the video would be clearer, yet I can close my eyes and see the whole piece from beginning to end. I saw the company 3 years ago in Santiago de Chile......I could not see anything as my eyes were tearing and could not stop. I blame this work for me leaving Mexico ....haaaaa! and of course Tom Evert.........who was amazing and UNIQUE with these gorgeous UNIQUE dancers, CHEERS to Taylor's WORK!
YES! incredible stamina. And one wonders, how often in rehearsal, devising this, or rehearsing it, there was inevitable failure in the "trust" of some of those "catches" by the the male partners. One can only imagine how astonished J. S. Bach would have been to see this marvelous analogy to his music, centuries later... both so appropriate with each other... artists clasping hands and leaping toward each other across the ages, even as the dancers to. Very moving.
While all of the dancers in this video are magnificent, Ruth Anne has the musicality of Margot Fontayne, the technique of Cynthia Gregory and the artistry of Carla Fracci.
Does anyone know who the woman at 01:37 - 02:13 is? I am a classical ballet snob and danced all the major male classical ballet rep. I find her to be one of the most beautiful dancers I have ever seen in my life.
mind blowed sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo GOOD
It's about the joy of everyday movements, running, jumping, falling, getting back up, grouping and regrouping. No one asks children on a playground doing many of these same things "what is this about". And you can no more say what it's "about" than you can say of the music what IT'S about. Just as music is its own deeply and instantly communicable "thing", so is dance. They are not there to be "about" some other thing, though they at times CAN be.
I was lucky enough to be involved as a consultant with Brooklyn Academy of Music, and with Judy Daykin, ex-GM (?) with Paul and once had dinner on the rooftop of his house in the West Village in the 70s (?). Judy always recalls when on tour in South America, the crew had to perform this last 'movement' on a rough stage floor where they had to endure splinters as they slid across. Ouch !! Professionalism from the originals, Carolyn, Ruth, Elie, Bettie, Nick, Robert, Linda, Monica and Lila - you will always live on this video recording !!!
Its currently 2021 and my dance teacher sent me here-
currently sent by our dance teacher in 2024*
My God, what energy it must take to execute this choreography and never break a sweat. Simply marvelous, the way he understand the music. The full company unisons near the end are so stunning, and to end with the single onstage dancer.... brilliant.
I have seen Esplanade a number of times. I am always thrilled/moved. Taylor has taken everyday steps and turned them into incredible movements and a masterpiece of modern dance.
Glorious! His choreography weaves. A lot like the music, yet so daring in content and contrasting in textures. I love older Taylor work!!!
What a joyously air-filled piece! I have adored it for years!
I studied with the company, in fact this very crew, when I was a student at Jacobs pillow way back in the day. The slides were fantastic to do. And the choreography was a delight. The company performed Esplanade during the week that they were at the pillow and that was also a revelation to watch. I still dance and I’m just wondering if at 66 I can still do the slide. LOL
I question your sanity. I respect the athletic ability of these performers but this is straight out of a fever dream.
Did you try??
it was such a sheer joy to watch this.
Au revoire, Paul Taylor! Your dances live on in eternity. "Esplanade", your signature work!
This is the company that I fall in Love...first time I saw Esplanade my eyes and heart had an orgasm! Ruth was my favourite dancer ever!!!!! I wish the video would be clearer, yet I can close my eyes and see the whole piece from beginning to end. I saw the company 3 years ago in Santiago de Chile......I could not see anything as my eyes were tearing and could not stop. I blame this work for me leaving Mexico ....haaaaa! and of course Tom Evert.........who was amazing and UNIQUE with these gorgeous UNIQUE dancers, CHEERS to Taylor's WORK!
I wish this Dance in America would come out on a disc. "Runes" which was also on the program, is amazing too.
Es una magia del movimiento continuo
This is so wonderful!
I love the physicality and stamina required for this. And the trust between the parteners! This was beautiful. They were so fluid and strong..
YES! incredible stamina. And one wonders, how often in rehearsal, devising this, or rehearsing it, there was inevitable failure in the "trust" of some of those "catches" by the the male partners. One can only imagine how astonished J. S. Bach would have been to see this marvelous analogy to his music, centuries later... both so appropriate with each other... artists clasping hands and leaping toward each other across the ages, even as the dancers to. Very moving.
There's much more here than falling! And "Esplanade" is more than just some pedestrian steps.
I danced it during my career, still brings me goosebumps.
aw yeah. paul taylor.
Her name is Ruth Anne. She's the artist director of Taylor 2.
Thank you for the reply.
While all of the dancers in this video are magnificent, Ruth Anne has the musicality of Margot Fontayne, the technique of Cynthia Gregory and the artistry of Carla Fracci.
Magnifique !!! Quel dynamisme !!!
This part is a straight up fever dream. What is happening
Does anyone know who the woman at 01:37 - 02:13 is? I am a classical ballet snob and danced all the major male classical ballet rep. I find her to be one of the most beautiful dancers I have ever seen in my life.
Yes, she is indeed! her name is Ruth Andrien, and I was lucky enough to,have her as a teacher at my University.Learned so much from her.
Paul Taylor died last year in 2019 I miss his choreography.
Choreography --- 10
Dancers --- 10
100% art
organic
Stephanie Cruvant Thank you so much for commenting. You have brought be back to a video I never grow tired of.
bloodandwinearered Pls excuse..are you E.V.?? Wondering ....
Stephanie Cruvant No, I am E.H.
How did you know?
Bruises, so many
....
AMB Bell I’ve done variations on this theme as a choreographer. It’s surprising how little bruising there is if you know how to fall correctly
mind blowed sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo GOOD
Boys on girls girls on boys just not ways love birds work○~○
okay , someone tell me . what is this dance about ? like what are the choreographer's intent for creating this dance ?
According to Paul Taylor it's about falling down and getting back up.
It's about the joy of everyday movements, running, jumping, falling, getting back up, grouping and regrouping. No one asks children on a playground doing many of these same things "what is this about". And you can no more say what it's "about" than you can say of the music what IT'S about. Just as music is its own deeply and instantly communicable "thing", so is dance. They are not there to be "about" some other thing, though they at times CAN be.
They’re supposed to be swans. Hope this helps.
haha same here... do u go 2 ADI?
those slides hurt.... i had the pattern of my tights in the sides of my legs for weeks
Classical contemporary dance should have never given way to what we see for contemporary dance today. What a shame.
I mean, Paul taylor is a Modern Choreographer. Though they have some shared roots, Contemporary (classic or not) is a different genre from this
It has 5 parts and the dance is suppose to reflect pedestrian movements. This section is about falling
this video isnt classic contemporary. its modern their are differences.