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The Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present the Paul Taylor Dance Company in October.
¡§The most inventive and versatile choreographer alive today¡K One of the few indisputably great dance companies in the world,¡¨ says the New York Post.
Paul Taylor is one of the foremost choreographers of our time. He pioneered far-reaching tours to cities and towns all over the world in the 1950s and consolidated the establishment and development of modern dance. For 20 years Taylor was a commanding performer in his own troupe. After leaving the stage, he turned exclusively to choreography and created his signature work ¡§Esplanade¡¨, followed by dozens of masterpieces.
In 1993 Taylor was awarded the National Medal of Arts by the US President. He is a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors, an Emmy Award, three Guggenheim Fellowships, a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship and eight honorary doctorates, among many other awards. In 2000 he was awarded France¡¦s highest honour, the Lˆmgion d¡¦Honneur. Taylor is the subject of the widely seen documentary, ¡§Dancemaker¡¨, and author of a critically acclaimed autobiography, ¡§Private Domain¡¨.
Established in 1954, the Paul Taylor Dance Company has long been regarded as one of the world's most exquisite performing ensembles. The company¡¦s repertoire includes over 120 dances that Taylor has created so far, and each year he creates two new works. The company has performed in more than 500 cities in more than 60 countries. In 1997, the company toured India in celebration of the nation's 50th anniversary; its 1999 engagement in Chile was named the year¡¦s Best International Dance Event by the country's art critics' circle. To celebrate the company's 50th anniversary, the Taylor Foundation presented Taylor's works in all 50 US states between March 2004 and November 2005. The unprecedented tour underscored the company's historic role as one of the early touring troupes of American modern dance.
In its coming Hong Kong visit, the company will present two different programmes with three dance pieces each, including ¡§Images¡¨ (1977), ¡§Mercuric Tidings¡¨ (1982), ¡§¡KByzantium¡¨ (1984), ¡§Eventide¡¨ (1997), ¡§Promethean Fire¡¨ (2002) and ¡§Changes¡¨ (2008).
The shows will be at 8pm on October 10 and 11 (Friday and Saturday) at the Auditorium, Kwai Tsing Theatre. Tickets priced at $400, $300 and $200 are now available at all URBTIX outlets. Half-price concessions will be granted to senior citizens aged 60 or over, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients. (Limited tickets for students and CSSA recipients are available on a first-come, first-served basis.) Please refer to the programme leaflet for information on group booking discounts.
For programme enquiries, call 2268 7323; for ticketing enquiries and reservations, call 2734 9009. Internet bookings are available at www.urbtix.hk. For credit card telephone bookings, call 2111 5999. Visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp for more information on the programme.
Ends/Friday, August 15, 2008
Issued at HKT 12:50
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