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 Harriman Institute Oral History
    Harriman Institute Oral History
    An oral history project documenting the Harriman Institute's 80+ years shaping area studies, U.S. foreign policy toward Russia and Eurasia, and academic expertise.
  • go to Aryeh Neier Oral History
    Aryeh Neier Oral History
    Exploring the life, influence, and legacy of a prolific human rights activist. Funded by Open Society Foundations
  • go to Global Investigative Journalism Oral History
    Global Investigative Journalism Oral History
    Recording, preserving, and presenting the histories of the investigative journalism movement. Funded by Incite Institute
  • go to Robert Rauschenberg Oral History
    Robert Rauschenberg Oral History
    Documenting the American avant-garde movement and the conditions that enabled it through the life and work of one of its most renowned artists. Funded by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation