Paul Taylor Dance Company

Everything I learn about theTaylor school and companies makes me respect and honor the entire organization more and more. Yesterday, after a semester of watching my four-​year-​old granddaughter Nomi bound out of class every Wednesday, and dance her way to the F train on Essex and Delancy, I had the long-​awaited opportunity to satisfy my curiosity at a demo about what occurs in class.
Raegan Wood is the ultimate teacher, especially for young children. Her imagination, skill, physicality and love of children make her class a learning playground. These children gain physical as well as mental strength plus a good dose of inspired imagination. And the music! How often do children that age or any age for that matter, have the luxury of a pianist who can improvise in a manner that inspires rhythm and movement. Nomi couldn’t stand still even while waiting for her turn to go across the floor. She vamped the whole time. On the way home, she explained that «sometimes musicians play other instruments, not just piano, Gramma.» I have to drag Nomi away after her class, as she wants to watch whatever class or rehearsal she can see peeking through a crack in a studio door before heading home.
I couldn’t be happier. This is the class I’ve been looking for since coming to New York two years ago. I can’t wait to see what occurs in classes for the older students.
Barbara Kline

After I was given the opportunity to watch the Paul Taylor Dance Company’s stunning performance of the Emmy-​winning, «Speaking in Tongues» and a playful dance piece set to the music of Bach at Lincoln Center last month, I decided to take the open modern class at the Paul Taylor School in the Lower East Side. Learning from a retired company member was such a great honor.
The adult open modern class is every Thursday night and is $ 20/​class. The class size in this studio school is very small and offers quite a different experience from most other much more crowded dance classes in Manhattan. Expect to be called on by your first name and receive a lot of personal attention and constructive criticism. Also unlike other dance classes, you will have a warm-​up and learn a string of short pieces (instead of one long piece of choreography) with each short piece incorporating and concentrating on at least one Paul Taylor signature move. Being able to learn these characteristic moves that I had just watched the company perform on stage was both interesting and rewarding. It seems like these pieces are taught and redone week after week rather than being expanded on which may be preferable for some. The class is also taught with live music, which always makes the dance process much more stimulating.
While the room is large and contains many windows, the downside is the lack of mirrors. This may be a personal preference, but I like to be able to watch the instructor, other dancers, and my own body in the mirror to be able to compare and self-​correct. Learning the choreography not by watching the instructor’s reflection in the mirror, but by copying her mirror image while she faced us, was something that took some time to get used to.
Likelihood of another visit:
I may go back!