Paul Taylor Dance Company Oral History - Incite at Columbia University

Completed Project

Paul Taylor Dance Company Oral History

  • Led by Columbia Oral History
  • Team Donald DuBois Elliot Caplan Alessandra Nicifero Gay Morris
  • Funding Paul Taylor Dance Foundation

The Paul Taylor Dance Company is a global presence in modern dance, having performed in more than 500 cities across 64 countries and toured extensively under the aegis of the U.S. Department of State. 

To document this prestigious legacy, Incite Institute partnered with the company to produce an oral history archive chronicling its achievements and contributions to American modern dance from the mid-twentieth century to the present day. Active from 2019 to 2020, the project also serves as a testament to the life and work of Paul Taylor himself, who passed away in 2018.

Interviewees include dancers, choreographers, and directors who have held prominent roles within the institution. Interviews cover the creation of dances, the artistry of dance, and the company's evolution.

To document the prestigious legacy of the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Incite Institute partnered with the company to produce an oral history archive, which chronicled the company’s achievements and contributions to American modern dance from the mid-twentieth century to the present day. The oral history project, which was active from 2019 to 2020, also serves as a testament to the life and work of Paul Taylor himself, who passed away in 2018.

Related Projects

  • go to Tunisian Transition Oral History
    Tunisian Transition Oral History
    Documenting the transition to democracy in Tunisia from the perspective of prominent transition leaders in the technical government and in civil society. Funded by Columbia University's Office of the President
  • go to Life Histories: Dr. Alice Kandell Oral History
    Life Histories: Dr. Alice Kandell Oral History
    A two-session life history with Himalayan photographer Alice Kandell, spanning her Tibetan art collection, child psychology career, and work in human rights and the arts.
  • go to Lawrence Cremin Oral History Project
    Lawrence Cremin Oral History Project
    Educator, historian, and administrator Lawrence Cremin shaped Columbia Teachers College over four decades—his impact documented through twenty interview sessions with ten colleagues, family members, and those he influenced.
  • go to September 11, 2001 Oral Histories
    September 11, 2001 Oral Histories
    Capturing a comprehensive, longitudinal memory of responses to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Funded by the National Science Foundation, Rockefeller Fund, and Columbia University