Paul Taylor's Witty Dance Returns to London Stages

Sarah Jenkins · 2026-01-28

Hey there, dance friends. Let's talk about something that's got the London dance scene buzzing again. Paul Taylor's work is back in town. And if you've been in this business long enough, you know that's not just another season announcement. It's an event. For choreographers and studio owners, Taylor's return is like a masterclass walking through the door. His pieces aren't just steps set to music. They're full conversations happening without a single word. They're characters you recognize immediately, stories told through a tilt of the head or the sweep of an arm. ### Why Taylor's Work Still Teaches Us You know how sometimes you watch a piece and think, "That's clever technique"? With Taylor, you think, "That's a complete human being on stage." His choreography has this incredible ability to blend technical precision with raw, recognizable humanity. It's witty without being cynical. It's characterful without being cartoonish. For those of us teaching daily classes, there's so much to learn from his approach: - Movement that serves character first - Humor that comes from situation, not slapstick - Emotional clarity without melodrama - Musicality that feels inevitable, not imposed I remember watching a Taylor piece years ago and realizing something. The dancers weren't just executing steps. They were having entire relationships right there on stage. You could see friendships, tensions, joys, and sorrows all unfolding through the choreography. That's the level of storytelling we're all aiming for, isn't it? ### What This Means for Your Studio When work like this comes to a city, it raises the water for all boats. Students get inspired. Teachers get new material to discuss. Audiences remember why they fell in love with dance in the first place. It's not about copying Taylor's style—that would be impossible anyway. It's about absorbing his principles. Think about your own choreography for a moment. Are you creating steps, or are you creating people? Are you making patterns, or are you making relationships visible? Taylor's work pushes us to ask these harder, better questions. One of my favorite things about his pieces is how accessible they feel while being deeply sophisticated. You don't need a dance degree to understand what's happening on stage. The emotions translate immediately. Yet there's layer upon layer of craft supporting every moment. That balance—between accessibility and depth—is what makes great dance education too. ### Bringing the Lessons Home So what do we do with this inspiration? We don't just watch and applaud. We take notes—literally or mentally. We notice how Taylor uses: - Space to define relationships - Rhythm to create personality - Gesture to reveal inner life - Ensemble work to build community on stage Then we bring those observations back to our own studios. Maybe it's in how you phrase a combination. Maybe it's in how you encourage students to find character in their movement. Maybe it's just in reminding everyone that dance, at its best, tells us something true about being human. Taylor's return to London isn't just a performance schedule. It's a reminder of why we do this work. It's a chance to see craft and heart working together at the highest level. For studio owners, it's programming you'll want to recommend to your advanced students. For choreographers, it's a source of renewal. For all of us who love dance, it's simply not to be missed. Because here's the thing about great dancemaking—it doesn't just entertain. It educates. It reminds us of possibilities. It shows us what's still left to explore in this beautiful, demanding art form we've dedicated our lives to. And honestly, isn't that exactly what we need right now?