Paul Taylor Dance CompanyFeaturing the 50th Anniversary of Esplanade and the return of Cloven Kingdom and Polaris
June 17–22, 2025 | The Joyce Theater; Tickets from $27

New York, NY — The Paul Taylor Dance Company returns to The Joyce Theater from June 17–22, 2025, with a landmark engagement that breathes new life into two rarely seen dances from the 1960s and 1970s. This special week of performances marks the Company’s most ambitious reconstruction project to date—culminating in the revival of Tablet (1960) and Churchyard (1969), each reconstructed for the first time in decades. The program also features three enduring masterworks by Paul Taylor: Cloven Kingdom (1976), Polaris (1976), and Esplanade (1975), which continues its 50th anniversary celebration. Tickets start at $27 and are available online HERE

The reconstructions are being led by Artistic Director Michael Novak, in collaboration with a team of celebrated Taylor artists. Among them are Rehearsal Director Bettie de Jong, Director of Education Carolyn Adams, and Nicolas Gunn, original cast members in Churchyard, whose firsthand knowledge and history with the works are invaluable. They are joined by Rehearsal Director Cathy McCann, Director of Licensing Richard Chen See, and current Company member Madelyn Ho, M.D., who is assisting in the Studio. Together, this intergenerational team is breathing new life into three rarely seen works with care, integrity, and deep artistic insight.

“These works were groundbreaking when they premiered, and they continue to resonate today,” said Novak. “Reconstructing them has been a profound journey—one that reveals the depth of Taylor’s creative imagination and his uncanny ability to reflect the human experience across time. I wanted to share these dances with a new generation, in a theater where audiences can experience them with the same intimacy and power they held decades ago.”

The engagement offers audiences two distinct programs. Polaris, Tablet, and Cloven Kingdom comprise Program I, while Tablet, Churchyard, and Esplanade make up Program II. From the sharp wit of Cloven Kingdom and the paradoxical Polaris to the luminous physicality of Esplanade, each program showcases Taylor’s versatility—and the Company’s unparalleled range and artistry.         

ABOUT THE WORKS

Tablet (1960)

An early duet with an archaic, courtship-like quality, Tablet brims with inventiveness and play. Called “accessible and ingratiating” by Dance Magazine, the dance features original design by visual artist Ellsworth Kelly and a score by David Hollister. 

Churchyard (1969)

Set to medieval-inspired music by Cosmos Savage, Churchyard unfolds in two haunting sections: Sacred and Profane. The dance contrasts formal, angelic movement with a more grotesque and angular vocabulary, evoking a world shaped by faith, mortality, and the unrelenting cycle of life and death. “A work of piercing observation… superbly effective,” wrote The Financial Times.

Cloven Kingdom (1976)

This sharp comedy of manners explores the duality of human nature—refinement and instinct, civility and chaos. With sleek tuxedos, glittering gowns, and surreal headpieces, the dance unspools in a world of elegant absurdity. Set to a blend of Baroque music and propulsive percussion, it remains one of Taylor’s most theatrical and visually arresting works.

Polaris (1976)

The nature of perception is explored and challenged in one of Paul Taylor's most abstract works. Dancers move within and around a large metallic cube designed by Alex Katz to music by Donald York. Though the choreography of the first section is repeated step for step in the second section, changes in music and lighting seem to alter the movement itself.

Esplanade (1975) – 50th Anniversary

A revolutionary work built from pedestrian movement—walking, running, leaping, falling—Esplanade transforms the everyday into a transcendent expression of joy and vulnerability. As The New Yorker wrote: “It confers a mythic dimension on ordinary aspects of our daily lives.”

 

High-resolution photos are available to download here: LINK. Video is available upon request.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE & PROGRAMS

Program I

Polaris, Tablet, Cloven Kingdom

Tuesday, June 17 at 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, June 19 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 21 at 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, June 22 at 2:00 p.m.

Program II

Tablet, Churchyard, Esplanade

Wednesday, June 18 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, June 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 21 at 7:30 p.m.

A post-show “Curtain Chat” will be hosted by Linda Murray with Artistic Director Michael Novak following the June 18 performance.

TICKETS & VENUE INFORMATION

Ticket prices start at $27 and are available for purchase HERE. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street in New York City. Tickets may also be purchased by calling JoyceCharge at (212) 242-0800 or visiting the box office.

FUNDING CREDITS

Leadership funding provided by Stephen Kroll Reidy. Major support provided by The SHS Foundation, Jody and John Arnhold, the Howard Gilman Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and an anonymous donor. Additional major funding provided by S&P Global, The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, and The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. Paul Taylor Dance Company gratefully acknowledges the estates of Harlan Morse Blake and Mary J. Osborn for their transformational gifts. The 50th anniversary of Esplanade is funded by Richard Hertz and Doris Meyer.

ABOUT TAYLOR:

One of the world’s leading dance organizations, the Paul Taylor Dance Company is based in New York City and has vast international reach. Under the artistic direction of Mr. Novak, who has taken the Company in bold new directions over the past seven years, Taylor continues to innovate, create and transform. With a vast new headquarters in Midtown that opened in January, Taylor Dance West, adding to its longtime downtown studios, Taylor Dance East, Taylor is positioned to be a greater resource in New York City, the heart of the dance universe. In its new headquarters, it will offer a broad spectrum of dance, fitness, and education that remain core to the Company’s mission. Taylor Dance West enables the Company to connect with greater and more diverse audiences across New York and provide a central home for the creative communities. With the expansion to Midtown now complete and open to the public, the Taylor School continues to maintain operations on the Lower East Side, where thousands of dance students and community members have trained over recent years. Its three sites across the city— Lincoln Center for the annual performance season, Midtown for Company creation and training, and the Lower East Side for dance instruction and community engagement — together realize Mr. Novak’s vision to create multiple spaces across the city to connect with the world of Taylor. 

###

Photo credit: Ben McKeown