In Awe of the Human Body

One of the rewards for seeing good modern dance is the reminder that the human body is indeed beautiful. We saw the Paul Taylor Dance Company at Wolf Trap last night and I was never more impressed.

It’s an interesting group in that they didn’t all study dance from the time they could walk, but each arrived at the company at the appropriate time. This would include Paul Taylor himself who in the early 50's was attending Syracuse on a swimming scholarship. He took a dance class just for fun and found his lifework. Of the group of 16 dancers, their backgrounds are quite varied, one having an MBA and another graduating summa cum laude from the U of NH in history.

But they have one thing in common now. They dance as if they are one person with a split personality, sometimes combining, sometimes separating, but always with one spirit. I have never before seen such precision.

The opening piece, Arden Court, featured 6 male and 3 female dancers. When the men first came on the stage, I thought they were nude because their bodies were so well defined. It turned out they were shirtless and had on flesh-colored very tight tights. This piece was set to excerpts from the lovely symphonies of William Boyce, an added attraction.

The second piece had a war-time setting and featured men with Basque red berets. Taylor leaves it to the viewer to find happiness or sadness in this work that clearly depicts the interaction of young girls and soldiers who are going off to war. One of the charms of his work is his ability to allow room for thought and interpretation.

The final piece, Promethean Fire, included the entire company all dressed in black velvet striped unitards. The work was written to commemorate the horrific events of September 11, 2001. The dancers were like a sea that came together and parted to a background of Bach. Their symmetry as they united onstage and midair was perfect.

As I sometimes struggle with movement, I am more impressed than ever at the lithe bodies of these young dancers. They continue to remind me of the range of movement and emotion the human body can evoke.