Modern Dance Paul Taylor Essay

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Pages: 5

Modern dance was created in the early 20th century with a foundation in classical ballet. Modern is referred to as "the more relaxed, free style of dancing." Modern dance expresses a lot of emotion that breaks the laws of classical ballet. One of the reasons modern dance is so different from classical ballet is because of the use of gravity within the dance. A dancer and choreographer named Paul Taylor was inspired by the movements of modern dance and created his own style of dance. His story is very inspiring for young dancers all around the world because of the struggles he went through. His unique way of moving was founded through his tough childhood. Paul Taylor fell upon the freeness and variety of movements in modern dance as something …show more content…
Even before Taylor's dancing career took off he had won a scholarship to the American Dance Festival in 1952, which eventually led him into the Martha Graham Company. Taylor had brought modern dance to many colleges. His first performance was in Europe in 1960 alongside 13 other dancers. This is when he knew, he was doing what he really loved. He also toured South America in 1965. A major performance for Taylor was a solo created by George Balanchine to music by Anton Webern. Taylor has also "received every important honor given to artists in the United States and France." (http://dance.about.com/od/solodancestyles) This shows that he had great contributions to French culture. He even "elected knighthood by the French government." (http://www.ptdc.org/artists-dances/paul-taylor) This shows how great of an impact Taylor had on artists all around the world. Taylor's work has been used in over 75 companies worldwide. His wide variety of movement allowed dancer's to easily express their emotions through their dancing. It also allowed Taylor to express his emotions and views on society throughout his choreography. The Taylor Company has performed in over 500 cities and in 62 different countries. He has influenced many young artists by portraying his struggles as a child within his accomplishments as a dancer and