Few artists of our time have had the profound impact on their art form that PAUL TAYLOR has had on dance. People in cities and towns throughout the world have seen and enjoyed live modern dance performances due largely to the far-reaching tours he pioneered as a virtuoso dancer in the 1950s, and that his two companies have continued to this day. Fifty years after he made his first avant garde works, he is revered as the world's greatest choreographer, with a collection of 123 dances performed by his own celebrated Company of 16 and the six-member Taylor 2 as well as renowned ballet companies here and abroad. He has set movement to music so memorably that for millions it is impossible to hear certain orchestral works and popular songs and not think of his dances. He has influenced dozens of men and women who have gone on to create their own dances and/or establish their own troupes. As the subject of the widely seen documentary, Dancemaker, and author of a critically acclaimed autobiography, he has demystified his creative process as few artists ever have. At 75, Paul Taylor may be the most sought-after choreographer working today, commissioned by leading companies, theaters, and presenting organizations the world over.

Having started his own Company and made his first dance in 1954, Taylor spent seven seasons dancing with the Graham Company. He created the landmark Aureole in 1962 and continued to dance and choreograph until 1975, when he retired as a performer and created his signature work, Esplanade. In 1993 Taylor was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Clinton. He is a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors, an Emmy Award, three Guggenheim Fellowships, and a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship. In 2000 he was awarded France's highest honor, the Légion d'Honneur.