Each year, dancegoers eagerly anticipate the beginning of the Paul Taylor Dance Company’s season at the New York City Center. Taylor is widely considered to be among the greatest American modern dance choreographers, and he reliably offers performances that are both challenging and beautiful.
Friday’s premiere performance featured three well-established works: Danbury Mix, Eventide, and the more recent Promethean Fire. The opening piece, set to the iconic music of Charles Ives, was named after the composer’s Connecticut hometown, and features a graciously clad Laura Halzack as “Lady Liberty.”
True to these associations, the body of Danbury Mix, which premiered in 1988, hints at the rambunctiousness of the American art world of the 1950s. Much of its score, particularly the excerpts from Circus Band March, allude to the tradition of popular American parade songs. These gentle hints are hastily and bombastically confirmed in the very last moment of the piece, when a row of what appears to be silk copies of Jasper Johns’ 1958 painting “Flag” drop abruptly from the sky.
Although there are moments of low momentum, the piece is energetically danced. Halzack in particular is reliably expressive, and her presence is well-established. Though Danbury Mix maintains a humorous tone, the development of this humor into a sophisticated punch line seems disconnected. The sudden appearance of the Johns painting, accompanied by Halzack’s sinister giggle and a curtain, causes a split-second reevaluation of the previous 25 minutes of the work. What exactly was it that should have been funny?
The final two works of the evening are an exercise in contrast—the pale pink and peach of Eventide clashes artfully with the black and red hues of Promethean Fire. The former work, set to music by Ralph Vaughan Williams, featured a set of what seemed to be four romantic narratives.
Though Eventide, a very elegant piece that premiered in 1997, is beautifully executed, its placement in the program alongside Promethean Fire subtly diminishes its substance. In the latter, the dancers’ imaginative costumes, designed by Santo Loquasto, achieve the effect of zebra stripes, and there are numerous moments
when it is delightfully difficult to establish visual boundaries between the performers.
Promethean Fire, a decidedly dark, yet deeply energetic work that opened in 2002, is an example of the very skillful use of production assets—Jennifer Tipton’s otherworldly lighting deserves particular mention. The combined effect of the costuming, lighting, and the generously orchestrated Bach score prove formidable and provide a satisfying end to the evening.
But the greatest magic of the performance arises from Taylor’s masterfully crafted movement, both varied and powerful, that hauntingly grasps the imagination.
The Paul Taylor Dance Company will be performing at the New York City Center through March 15.
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