Modern dance icon Paul Taylor passes away

The Paul Taylor Dance Foundation has announced the death of legendary choreographer Paul Taylor, aged 88. Taylor, a founder and towering icon of America’s homegrown art of modern dance, was at the forefront of the art for decades, and his ideas continue to influence art of the 21st century. On August 29, he passed away in Manhattan due to renal failure.

During a 64-year career, Taylor created 147 dances including such masterworks as Aureole, Esplanade, Company B, Promethean Fire and Beloved Renegade. His final work, Concertiana, premiered in March.

In 2014, Taylor established an institutional home for the art form: Paul Taylor American Modern Dance. He curated and presented great modern dances of the past and present alongside his own works at Lincoln Center, and commissioned a new generation of choreographers so that modern dance flourishes long into the future. Longtime company dancer Michael Novak, whom Taylor named artistic director designate earlier this year, now becomes the second artistic director in the company’s 64-year history.

“Paul Taylor was one of the world’s greatest dancemakers, and his passing deeply saddens not only those of us who worked with him, but also people all over the world whose spirits have been touched by his incomparable art,” Novak said. “We are grateful for your love and support as we begin to carry on his legacy with the utmost fidelity and devotion.”

In lieu of flowers, dance enthusiasts can celebrate the memory of Paul Taylor by making donations to the Paul Taylor Dance Foundation at ptdc.thankyou4caring.org/in-memory-of-paul-taylor.

To share memories about Paul Taylor and his work, or to express your condolences, email dancemaker@ptamd.org.

Photo: Paul Taylor. Photo by Maxine Hicks.