Ten celebrated works by Paul Taylor anchor the three-week engagement, joined by world premieres from resident choreographers Lauren Lovette and Robert Battle, a New York premiere by Pam Tanowitz, and live music by Orchestra of St. Luke’s.
The Paul Taylor Dance Company returns to the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for its annual New York Season, November 3–22, bringing together the extraordinary legacy of its founding artistic director with an exciting collection of new choreography and company premieres.
The three-week engagement offers a rich program, with ten works from Paul Taylor’s celebrated repertory forming the foundation of the season. Alongside these works are two world premieres by the company’s resident choreographers, Lauren Lovette and Robert Battle, and a New York premiere by acclaimed guest choreographer Pam Tanowitz. The season also introduces audiences to two significant company premieres, including a revival of a groundbreaking work by dance innovator Alwin Nikolais.
Adding another dimension to the performances, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s will provide live musical accompaniment under the direction of Taylor Music Director David LaMarche, continuing a longstanding artistic partnership.
Celebrating the Genius of Paul Taylor
Paul Taylor’s works have been described as exquisite, sublime, charming, funny, daring, poignant, and thrilling. The repertory moves between exuberance and introspection, humor and sensuality, formal beauty and provocative social commentary.
This season brings ten of his works to the Koch Theater, offering audiences an opportunity to experience both familiar favorites and dances returning to Lincoln Center after an absence of more than a decade.
Among the highlights are Esplanade (1975), a landmark of American modern dance set to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, and Brandenburgs (1988), another celebrated Taylor work, also inspired by Bach. Airs (1978), set to the music of Handel, offers a different dimension of Taylor’s choreographic imagination, while Piazzolla Caldera (1997) explores the attitudes and sensuality associated with tango through the music of Astor Piazzolla and Jerzy Peterburshsky.
The season also brings back Arabesque, …Byzantium, Spindrift, and 3 Epitaphs, none of which has been presented at the Koch Theater in more than ten years. Completing the ten-work repertory are Cloven Kingdom and Last Look.
Together, these works reveal the breadth of Taylor’s artistic vision and the distinctive physicality, musicality, and expressive power of the dancers who bring his choreography to life.
Three New Choreographic Visions
A major attraction of this season is the opportunity to see new work by two of the company’s resident choreographers, alongside a new commission from Pam Tanowitz.
Lauren Lovette, former New York City Ballet principal dancer and now a resident choreographer with the Taylor Company, presents the world premiere of 30 Incoming. Set to music by experimental indie-rock duo The Books, the work brings a contemporary musical sensibility into conversation with the company’s distinctive movement vocabulary. The production features set and costume designs by Mark Eric and lighting by Brandon Stirling Baker.
Robert Battle, also a resident choreographer, introduces A Starling, a world premiere set to composer John Mackey’s Bells on the Garment of Silence. The production brings together Battle’s choreographic approach with visual elements designed by artist Anne Patterson, with lighting by James F. Ingalls.
Battle’s presence extends beyond the premiere. The company will also present No Longer Silent (2007), a work originally created for Juilliard and now entering the Taylor Company’s repertory. Choreographed to music by Erwin Schulhoff, the piece has been praised by The New York Times as arguably one of Battle’s strongest works.
Pam Tanowitz returns to the company with Messengers, Maidens and the End of Something Else, receiving its New York premiere. Inspired by Franz Schubert’s String Quartet No. 14, popularly known as Death and the Maiden, the new commission brings Tanowitz’s distinctive combination of craft, wit, and minimalism together with the athleticism and technique of the Taylor dancers. The production features set design by visual artist Sarah Crowner, costumes by Harriet Jung and Reid Bartelme, and lighting by Brandon Stirling Baker.
Tanowitz discussed the inspiration behind the work in an interview for WQXR’s Dancing On-Air, which explores the relationship between dance and classical music.
A Landmark Work by Alwin Nikolais
Another notable addition to the season is Tensile Involvement (1953), receiving its company premiere. Created by the pioneering choreographer and multi-media theater innovator Alwin Nikolais, the work is an early example of his groundbreaking integration of movement, lighting, and stage design.
Nikolais, who composed the music and conceived the visual elements as well as the choreography, transformed the stage into a striking visual environment. The work’s revival offers audiences an opportunity to encounter an important piece of modern dance history through the performances of the Taylor Company.
Music at the Heart of the Season
Music is central to the Taylor tradition, and this season’s repertory travels across a remarkably diverse musical landscape. From the Baroque compositions of Bach and Handel to the tango of Piazzolla, the experimental sounds of The Books, and the contemporary orchestral music of John Mackey, the musical choices reflect the range of choreographic expression.
The live participation of Orchestra of St. Luke’s, with David LaMarche as music director and conductor, is especially significant. The orchestra’s collaboration with the company adds immediacy and richness to the performances, allowing audiences to experience the close relationship between music and movement that has long distinguished Taylor’s work.
In anticipation of the season, LaMarche, Lovette, and Battle also participated in a three-part series on Person Place Thing, discussing their creative processes, musical collaborations, and the upcoming premieres.
Three Weeks at the Koch Theater
With its combination of treasured repertory, fresh choreographic voices, and live orchestral accompaniment, the 2026 New York Season offers a compelling portrait of a company that continues to honor its history while embracing artistic discovery.
Performances take place November 3–22 at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, 20 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York City.
For the complete performance calendar, individual program details, and ticket information, visit the Paul Taylor Dance Company’s official 2026 New York Season website.
Tickets are available through boxoffice.dance.