Two landmark programmes mark the company’s Linbury Theatre debut
After a 20-year absence from British stages, the Paul Taylor Dance Company returns to London this January, making its long-awaited Linbury Theatre debut with two programmes that trace the breadth, boldness and enduring influence of American modern dance.
Founded in 1954, the company remains the living embodiment of Paul Taylor’s singular choreographic voice. A contemporary of Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham, Taylor reshaped modern dance with works that were witty, athletic and quietly subversive – often drawing from everyday movement while upending expectations of form and narrative. Today, his company continues that legacy, preserving his distinctive movement language while commissioning new work that speaks to the present.
Across five nights, audiences will encounter two contrasting programmes that reveal the full scope of Taylor’s artistry – from lyrical abstraction to raw theatricality.
The first programme, opening on 27 January, pairs classic Taylor works with a striking contemporary addition. Brandenburgs (1988), set to Bach’s exuberant Brandenburg Concertos, is a radiant display of musicality and technical finesse. It is followed by Piazzolla Caldera (1997), a sultry, shadow-drenched exploration of tango culture, where desire simmers and power shifts in tightly coiled duets and trios. Completing the evening is Under the Rhythm (2025), a UK premiere by Robert Battle, whose pulsing energy brings a modern edge to the programme.
The second programme, from 28 January, moves from intimacy to exhilaration. Concertiana (2018), Taylor’s final work, is set to a soaring violin concerto by Eric Ewazen and balances explosive solos with moments of hushed reflection, capturing a wide emotional range with remarkable economy.
The UK premiere of Echo (2023), choreographed by Lauren Lovette, follows – an all-male work that interrogates ideas of masculinity with elegance and force, featuring music by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Kevin Puts and costumes by Zac Posen.
The programme closes with Esplanade (1975), Taylor’s most iconic creation: inspired by a woman running for a bus, it transforms pedestrian movement into something exhilarating, tender and unexpectedly profound.
The visit forms part of a wider Linbury Theatre celebration of American modern dance, alongside upcoming performances by Yorke Dance Project, The Royal Ballet’s staging of Glen Tetley’s Pierrot Lunaire, and Tulsa Ballet’s Made in America.
More than a revival, this return confirms Paul Taylor Dance Company’s place as both guardian and innovator – proving that modern dance, at its best, still feels thrillingly alive.
To book tickets please see here
