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Private Domain: An Autobiography
by
Paul Taylor
Taylor explores aspects of himself that have affected his work. He delves into the creation of Aureole and From Sea to Shining Sea, from their initial inception to the ways in which specific dancers influenced the choreography, including such notables as Pina Bausch, Laura Dean, David Parsons, Twyla Tharp, Dan Wagoner, Senta Driver—all of whom went on to form their own com
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Paperback
,
406 pages
Published
April 29th 1999
by University of Pittsburgh Press
(first published January 1st 1987)
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After seeing a Paul Taylor dance performance I picked up this autobiography from the library and really enjoyed his quiet humor, imagination, and creativity throughout. It spans his life until 1976 or so and really gives a nice picture of his personality and how he unexpectedly would come to create his own dance company, in a rather unassuming sort of way and in the midst of many hardships. At heart he was a dancer, rather than a choreographer and his love to dance (rather than love "for" dance,
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Originally I really enjoyed this book because of the commonalities between Taylor and myself, yes there are a few, and not just that we dance. Part of his childhood was spent in Edgewater, Maryland. He spent some of his high school years in Lynchburg, Virginia. He must dance (despite having no previous training - not a similarity), and is fascinated by Martha Graham. He is one of the lucky ones that he's wanted by Martha, no matter his background, probably just because he's tall and reasonably h
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It's been a long while since I read Paul Taylor's autobiography, but I remember it as a story beautifully written and honestly told. I am neither a dancer, nor am I part of the dance world, but Taylor shared his sensibility so generously that I felt I was being taken behind the scenes. I had seen a performance by his dance company some years prior to reading the book and loved the power and freedom of expression in every piece. I was glad to have seen his work because it make the scenes come to
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Dubbed “The naughty boy” of dance by Martha Graham, Paul Taylor has been so cutting edge, and pioneering in his approaches to dance and choreography that he has become not only known and loved world-over, but a genuine icon. At 77 years of age he is still as feisty and humorous as ever, and in our interview tells me all kinds of fascinating inside stuff about his life and work.
listen to the interview
listen to the interview
I love this book. Mr Taylor shared so much of his self, dance, the sheer hard work of dance and running a dance company, the joys as well. It is a serious book.
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Paul Taylor is one of the foremost American choreographers of our time. He began his career in the 1950s as a dancer and choreographer, retiring from performing in 1974. Known for his edginess and willingness to address the most sensitive of subjects, his dances often deal with man’s place within nature, love and sexuality, life and death, and iconic moments of American history. Taylor has receive
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More about Paul Taylor...
“Most dancers I know, especially the talented and successful ones, seem to possess [my dog's] knack for living moment to moment. You see, their idea of time is related to those infinitely short moments when they are onstage being their superselves.”
—
26 likes
“Classic Ballet,
Keep away, keep building your creaky fairy castles, keep cloning clones and meaningless manners, hang on to your beanstalk ballerinas and their midget male shadows, run yourself out of business with your tons of froufrou and costly clattery toe shoes that ruin all chances for illusions of lightness, keep on crowding the minds of blind balletomanes who prefer dainty poses to the eloquent strength of momentum, who have forgotten or never known the manings of gesture, who would nod their noses to barefoot embargos ("so grab me" spelt backwards). Continue to repolish your stiff technique and to ignore a public that hungers for something other than a bag of tricks and the empty-headedness of surface patterns.
Just keep it up, keep imitating yourself, and, , go grow your own dance makers. Come on, don't keep trying to filter modern ones through your so-safe extablishment. We're to be seen undiluted, undistorted, not absorbed by your hollow world like blood into a sponge.
Yours truly,
A Different Leaf on Our Family Tree”
—
6 likes
More quotes…
Keep away, keep building your creaky fairy castles, keep cloning clones and meaningless manners, hang on to your beanstalk ballerinas and their midget male shadows, run yourself out of business with your tons of froufrou and costly clattery toe shoes that ruin all chances for illusions of lightness, keep on crowding the minds of blind balletomanes who prefer dainty poses to the eloquent strength of momentum, who have forgotten or never known the manings of gesture, who would nod their noses to barefoot embargos ("so grab me" spelt backwards). Continue to repolish your stiff technique and to ignore a public that hungers for something other than a bag of tricks and the empty-headedness of surface patterns.
Just keep it up, keep imitating yourself, and, , go grow your own dance makers. Come on, don't keep trying to filter modern ones through your so-safe extablishment. We're to be seen undiluted, undistorted, not absorbed by your hollow world like blood into a sponge.
Yours truly,
A Different Leaf on Our Family Tree”
