Modern Dance Company Taylor 2 Leaps into Potsdam

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Paul Taylor’s modern dance company Taylor 2 will perform as part of the CPS Guest Artist Series Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. in Hosmer Hall.

POTSDAM, NY (09/13/2011)(readMedia)-- Community Performance Series in Potsdam is pleased to present Paul Taylor's modern dance company Taylor 2 in an upcoming Guest Artist Series presentation.

Taylor 2 will perform Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. in the Sarah M. Snell Music Theater at SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music. A free pre-show lecture will be given by Don Borsh at 6:30 p.m. Taylor 2 will also perform a sold out school program on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 10 a.m. in Snell Theater as part of the Meet the Arts series.

The Taylor 2 performance will feature three pieces choreographed by world-renowned dancer and company founder Paul Taylor. "Airs," which features music from George Frederic Handel, was first performed in 1978 and is one of Paul Taylor's signature pieces. "Profiles" and "Duet from Lento" will follow, with music from Jan Radzynski and Joseph Haydn respectively. The performance will close with the piece "Piazzolla Caldera," featuring music from Astor Piazzolla and Jerzy Peterburshsky, first performed in 1997.

Taylor 2 will also conduct a masterclass for SUNY Potsdam dance students at Dunn Studio in Dunn Dance Hall at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21. Masterclasses are free and open to the public for viewing. Visit www.cpspotsdam.org for more information.

Paul Taylor established Taylor 2 in 1993 to ensure that his works could be seen by audiences all over the world, unhindered by economic or technical limitations. Engagements are flexible and are customized to meet the needs of each community and often consist of master classes and lecture demonstrations in addition to performances, which may take place in such non-traditional venues as office buildings, parks and public plazas as well as theaters. In selecting repertoire for Taylor 2, Taylor chooses dances that span the broad spectrum of his work. Domestically, Taylor 2 tours extensively each year and has performed in all but two of the 50 States. The New York Times praises Taylor 2 as "kind of a miracle ... all of the dancers are considerable talents who unite fearlessness with skill."

"Taylor 2, like its parent company, the Paul Taylor Dance Company, is an iconic representation of modern dance choreography and performance," said Don Borsh, associate professor of theatre and dance at SUNY Potsdam. "In the dance world, the Taylor Company and the work they present is analogous to any of the most admired and skilled musicians in this country, providing the finest concert level dance possible."

Paul Taylor is the last living member of the pantheon that created America's indigenous art of modern dance. People in cities and towns throughout the world have enjoyed live modern dance performances due largely to the far-reaching tours Mr. Taylor pioneered as a virtuoso dancer in the 1950s. The choreographer's works, now totaling 134, are performed by the world-renowned 16-member Paul Taylor Dance Company, the chamber-sized Taylor 2, and ballet companies throughout the world.

"Paul Taylor is regarded as one of the greatest, most inventive and thematically eclectic modern dance choreographers of the 20th century," said Borsh. "Taylor has an astute, intuitive sense of musicality, which often serves as a foundation for his work. At the same time, many of his dances exist simply for the pure joy and elation of dancing. He is a consummate craftsman, a demanding director and one of the best living examples of the choreographer as an artist."

Tickets can be purchased by visiting the CPS Box Office, located in the lobby of Snell Theater on the SUNY Potsdam campus, or at Northern Music & Video in downtown Potsdam.

Tickets range from $7 to $15 for the Guest Artist Series performance. Tickets are available by calling the CPS Box Office at (315) 267-2277 or by purchasing online at www.cpspotsdam.org.

Become a Guest Artist Series subscriber by purchasing tickets to all eight events and receive the best seat options, best prices, and invitations to special events. New subscribers will save 40 percent and returning subscribers save 25 percent.

The Community Performance Series Guest Artist Series has been sponsored in part by SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music, the Northern New York Community Foundation, North Country Public Radio, Tom and Mabel Walker, and Capello, Linden & Ladouceur Attorneys at Law, with media sponsorship from 7 News/Fox 28 and the Daily Courier-Observer.

The Meet the Arts Series is made possible through generous underwriting from the Edward John Noble Foundation, with additional support from the Maresca Family Endowment, Stearns-Cottrell Endowment, Stewart's Shops and the Sweetgrass Foundation.

Established in 1989, CPS at SUNY Potsdam is a college-community partnership presenting world-class performing artists and arts education opportunities in northern New York. A rich mixture of programs links community, classroom and audiences of all ages while preserving access to the performing arts for future generations.

For more information, please visit www.cpspotsdam.org.

Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of only three arts campuses in the entire SUNY system. SUNY Potsdam's arts curriculum offers the full palette: music, theatre, dance, fine arts and creative writing. No matter the discipline, people from all backgrounds can find their creative compass at Potsdam, with myriad arts immersion experiences available for both campus and community.

-www.potsdam.edu-