Two weeks into the spring semester, 13 dance majors and minors took part in an intensive five-day workshop with the Paul Taylor Dance Company. Former company dancer and artist-in-residence Rachel Berman spent a decade as a professional dancer in the Paul Taylor Dance Company. During her week at the University of Nevada, Reno, she shared many personal stories about Paul Taylor’s creative process and the sometimes grueling reality of life as a professional dancer. Students laughed loudly as Berman gleefully told them of “happy accidents” that occurred in rehearsals that Taylor would go on to make a permanent part of the choreography.

Paul Taylor, an icon of American modern dance, was known for making dances of extraordinary athleticism, wit and lyricism. He created 147 dances across a career that spanned more than 60 years. The Paul Taylor Dance Company continues to tour extensively and has performed in more than 600 cities in 66 countries. Its first time performing in Northern Nevada was Feb. 15, 2024.

From scooping arms, fast footwork, twisting torsos and whirling jumps, to the unusual musicality involved in learning Taylor’s stylized approach to movement, students immersed their minds and bodies in the technical elements of many masterpieces of modern dance history. Each evening was comprised of a 2-hour technique class with live piano accompaniment followed by a 2-hour repertoire rehearsal focused on learning sections of choreography from Taylor’s work "Esplanade" (1975) and "The Word" (1998). Berman coached the dancers through demanding and rigorous sequences, giving valuable critiques between each exercise.

“Paul’s dances have been and will always be about community,” said Berman. “I found a warm, supportive and receptive community at UNR. I was so proud of the work ethic of the UNR students and that they were receptive to dance that was made before they were born.”

In the dance studio, Bach’s "Concerto for Two Violins "played as Berman pressed the students to dance faster, yet with efficiency. There is no wasted energy or extraneous moments in Taylor’s work. Each residency day, the complexity and density of movement increased as jumps, turns and arm maneuvers progressed rapidly.

Additional residency activities included a public screening of the Oscar-nominated documentary film "Dancemaker" and a masterclass open to University students and the Reno dance community. In the culmination of the residency, the students showcased the week’s work in the Lombardi Dance Theatre in an informal public performance.

Just days after the residency ended, students attended a performance by the Paul Taylor Dance Company at the Pioneer Center in downtown Reno. Witnessing the professionals execute the exact choreography they learned the week before, students brimmed with new insights. They were invited to stay after the performance for a Q&A with three company dancers, who shared their diverse career journeys and offered advice for emerging dance artists.

“Having the opportunity to learn about Paul Taylor’s creative process and stylistic choices allowed me to recognize aspects of the company's performance that I otherwise would not have noticed,” senior dance minor Mariana Delgado Ceniceros said.

With this deeper perspective and admiration for the professionals, Delgado Ceniceros added, “I have a more significant appreciation for the dancers after learning segments of the choreography and realizing that the performers continuously make physically strenuous sequences look smooth and effortless.”

Reflecting on the week, sophomore dance major Jasmeen Love said, “This residency was a captivating journey and has created a stronger passion for the world of modern dance for me. I loved this experience!”

The Department of Theatre and Dance is committed to facilitating these special opportunities for students, where they are actively linking their academic work to the professional world.

Honing in on how impactful residencies can be, Berman said, “When I was their age, dancers from the Taylor company set a work on us at Purchase College. That experience opened my eyes and literally changed the path of my life. If I can do that for even one student, why not?”

The Paul Taylor Dance Company residency was made possible with collaboration between the University of Nevada, Reno Department of Theatre and Dance and Artown and with support from a grant from the E.L. Weigand Foundation.