Adam Robert Dickerson and Shawn Lesniak Have Joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company

At an audition held on October 17, Adam Robert Dickerson and Shawn Lesniak were selected by Artistic Director Michael Novak to join the world-renowned Paul Taylor Dance Company. Quinton Guthier was chosen to join the acclaimed Taylor 2.

Adam Robert Dickerson was raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and began his formal dance training after graduating high school with the Colorado Jazz Dance Company under the direction of Zetta Alderman and Holly Jones. He continued dancing at Colorado College and was mentored by Patrizia Herminjard and Debbie Mercer. During Mr. Dickerson's college career he performed works by Anna Sokolow, Trisha Lai and attended three consecutive Summer Intensives at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. In 2013, after graduating with a B.A. in Studio Art, he moved to New York City to dance with Graham 2, Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre, Amy Marshall Dance Company, H.T. Chen & Dancers, Lisa Fagan Dance Problems and Fooju Dance Collaborative, and he performed as a guest artist with Dark Circles Contemporary Dance in Dallas, Texas. He joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in Winter 2019.

Shawn Lesniak, from New Haven, Connecticut, began dancing at the age of seven. For most of his youth, Mr. Lesniak trained in various dance techniques such as ballet, jazz, modern and tap, and he danced competitively for more than a decade. He continued his training at The Ailey School and Point Park University. He has toured both internationally and domestically as a member of Parsons Dance, and has worked with choreographers such as Trey McIntyre, Matthew Neenan, Matthew Powell and Emery LeCrone. Mr. Lesniak joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in Winter 2019.

Quinton Guthier is originally from Madison, Wisconsin. He attended Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan before graduating Cum Laude with a B.F.A. in Dance from Fordham University and The Alvin Ailey School in NYC. He danced for Carolyn Dorfman Dance and is a certified Pilates instructor. Mr. Guthier was one of the first dancers to receive a scholarship to train at The Taylor School in 2017 and he was awarded a second scholarship to train during the 2019 term. Mr. Guthier joined Taylor 2 in Winter 2019.

Mr. Dickerson and Mr. Lesniak will make their debut performances at the Annenberg Center for the Arts in Philadelphia, PA on January 24, 2020. Mr. Guthier made his debut performance at the Pace Theatre in Mamaroneck, NY on December 13, 2019.

Leadership funding provided by The SHS Foundation. Major support provided by the Howard Gilman Foundation and Shubert Foundation. Additional major funding provided by S&P Global, The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, and American Express Foundation. Public support provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council; and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. National Touring is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

About the Paul Taylor Dance Company:

The Paul Taylor Dance Company is one of the world's most highly acclaimed and sought-after performing arts ensembles. Founded in 1954 by choreographer Paul Taylor, PTDC was led by Mr. Taylor until his death in 2018, after which dancer Michael Novak became Artistic Director. The Company has performed in some 524 cities in 64 countries. The Company performs Mr. Taylor's repertoire, comprising 147 dances, and works by other leading modern dance choreographers.

About Taylor 2:

Mr. Taylor established Taylor 2 in 1993 to ensure that audiences all over the world could see his works. He worked with longtime colleague Linda Hodes to create a company that could accommodate performance requests as well as teach and provide community outreach, and he looked back to the 1954 origins of his larger company for the structure of his new company: six professionals with a particular gift for his style who perform his work throughout the world. Engagements are flexible and are customized to meet the needs of each community. They often include master classes and lecture demonstrations in addition to performances in non-traditional venues as well as theaters. Taylor 2 has performed in some 12 countries, 110 cities and 46 states.

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