Paul Taylor (1930–2018) stands among the most significant American artists of the twentieth century — a choreographer whose 147-work repertoire helped define and expand the possibilities of modern dance across more than six decades.
Born in Washington, DC, on July 29, 1930, Taylor came to dance relatively late, discovering it through books while on a swimming scholarship at Syracuse University. He transferred to The Juilliard School and launched his professional career in New York City, eventually joining Martha Graham’s company in 1955 — a position that placed him at the crossroads of modern dance’s founding generation and its future. In 1959, George Balanchine invited him to perform with New York City Ballet, creating a solo in Episodes especially for him.
Taylor founded his own company in 1954 and began choreographing in earnest, earning early notoriety with Seven New Dances (1957) and his first major success with Aureole (1962). His work ranged from luminous and romantic to dark and unflinching, tackling war, sexuality, religious hypocrisy, and mortality with equal conviction. Works such as Esplanade, Speaking in Tongues, and Company B are now considered landmarks of the form.
His honors were equally sweeping: Kennedy Center Honors, the National Medal of Arts, three Guggenheim Fellowships, a MacArthur “genius” Fellowship, and France’s Légion d’Honneur. His memoir, Private Domain, was nominated by the National Book Critics Circle, and his documentary, Dancemaker, received an Academy Award nomination.
Taylor died in Manhattan on August 29, 2018, leaving a legacy that continues to shape modern dance worldwide.