Review: PAUL TAYLOR DANCE COMPANY at Kennedy Center

The Paul Taylor Dance Company performs an uplifting trio of vignette-like choreographies in its current show at the Kennedy Center. In two repertoire pieces and one world premier by former Alvin Ailey dancer Hope Boykin, relational richness and the beauty of normalcy are set in movement to a rousing score within a colorful visual field. 

The show opens with “Arden Court,” a Shakespeare-inspired choreography by Paul Taylor first performed in 1981. 

In dotted skin-tight flesh-toned garments, dancers flit around energetically in front of a pink rose, larger than life. Perhaps because of the time of year, this piece called to mind the joy of springtime and the enthusiasm that comes with longer days and warmer weather. 

“Arden Court” is classical in structure and tone, displaying the tremendous skill of the dancers, musicians, and conductor to perform intricate sequences in tandem while leaving room for play and lightness. 

Audience members gasped and laughed as dancers jumped over, ducked under, and flipped each other over gracefully, all with smiles on their faces. 

“Esplanade,” the other Paul Taylor choreography from the repertoire, was first performed in 1975. It displayed iconic hallmarks of modern dance like clean, symmetrical movement, long lines, solid-color spandex, and articulative bare feet. 

In pinks, oranges, and peaches, dancers hopped and slid around the stage with a child-like fervor, their relatable motions informed no doubt by Taylor’s intent to transform pedestrian movement into a riveting performance in this piece. 

Sandwiched between these two works was the world premiere of Hope Boykin’s “How Love Sounds,” which was indisputably the theatrical apex of this concert. Set to songs Boykin says “have long been sitting close to [her] heart” and a spoken word poem written and read by the choreographer, the audience is invited through several diverse scenes to a shimmering climactic finish. 

This four course meal of a performance touched authentically on the ubiquitous and oft-engaged concept of love in a way that felt stirring but not unrealistic. 

In a rich color scheme crafted by Costume Designer Mark Eric and lighting designer Al Crawford, dancers perform palpably textured movement that varies from sharp and percussive to soft, sinuous, and sensual. 

The piece included music from Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Patsy Cline, Antonín Dvořák, and Donna Summer. I did enjoy being swung between ballad and banjo, but when the thumping synth of “I Feel Love” started to play in complete blackout, all I had seen before that moment was wiped from my mind. 

I could have imagined that modern dance set to disco rhythms would be engaging, but the perfect blend of precision, play, and glamor is a composition one must see to appreciate in fullness. With thoughtful musicality as a backbone, the fun the dancers were having was infectious. 

The Paul Taylor Dance Company performs through Saturday, March 1st, 2025, in the Eisenhower Theater at The Kennedy Center.