Culver City Observer -

LOS ANGELES (March 14, 2023) - The Music Center launches its 20th season of Glorya Kaufman

Presents Dance at The Music Center with the return of the Paul Taylor Dance Company, one of the

most famous and dynamic dance ensembles in the world. The residency will include performances in

The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and an evening of ideas and conversation open to the

public produced in partnership with Zócalo Public Square, among other experiences. Under the

leadership of Artistic Director Michael Novak, the company will present two timely and

thought-provoking works, Company B and The Green Table, both of which address the impact of war,

along with the world premiere of Dreamachine by Lauren Lovette, former principal dancer with New

York City Ballet and now Paul Taylor Dance Company's first resident choreographer.

Patrons for the April 30th matinee performance will be invited to attend a pre-show discussion,

beginning at 1 p.m., with Novak and Lovette at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion's Stern Grand Hall.

Additionally, to engage and inspire students and educators with dance and movement, The Music

Center will present a special matinee performance and discussion of The Green Table for middle

school and high school students on Friday, April 28, and provide up to 20 high school dancers with

the invaluable opportunity to attend a master class on choreography taught by Lovette on Saturday,

April 29.

"We are thrilled to kick off Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center's 20th season of

dance residencies with the return of Paul Taylor Dance Company, which debuted at The Music Center's

Dorothy Chandler Pavilion more than three decades ago. This time, we have the enviable opportunity

to experience the world premiere of a highly anticipated work created by the company's first

resident choreographer," said Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center. "In addition,

Paul Taylor Dance Company's performances of two iconic dances that overtly convey and challenge the

notions of war will undoubtedly stir high emotions among audience members. We will complement that

work by partnering with Zócalo to offer the public a free, dynamic panel of speakers who will

explore the possibilities and the limits of war-inspired art, which is particularly relevant

today."

Through the hit songs of the Andrews Sisters, Company B juxtaposes the energy and enthusiasm

America exhibited in the early 1940s with the human toll of a young nation drawn into the Second

World War. A seminal piece of Americana during a turbulent era, the dance focuses on poignant

dualities: The songs depict a nation surging with high spirits with millions of men bidding

farewell to their wives or girlfriends; however, many of the soldiers would never return from

battle. As Laura Shapiro wrote in Newsweek, the piece "evokes the exuberant rhythms of the ʽ40s as

well as the grim and persistent shadow of war. But even more vividly, it honors Taylor's

magnificent dancers. Some of the most glorious dancing to be seen anywhere."

Dreamachine, Lovette's new work, is set to the music of Michael Daugherty's 2014 scintillating

eponymous percussion concerto. The 30-minute score, divided into three movements, takes audiences

on a journey of humankind's wonderment with new machines and the inventors who make them.

Drawing inspiration from the music, but not married to literal interpretation, Lovette creates

three distinct worlds that highlight both the beauty and ferocity of the Taylor dancers.

"Dreamachine is my playground," said Lovette. "I imagine and explore a world of its own, one the

dancers bring to life. The sense of exploration I experience with this piece is as far as it is

wide- sometimes it feels like I'm landing on different planets, sometimes it feels like I'm caught

in a time warp and I'm a child again, about to launch my imagination into its own universe."

Lovette adds: "For many years I've thought about invention and what compels someone to dream up a

device-a machine?-that can change everything. From the smallest creations to the wildest

imaginings, invention makes us a nation of dreamers. That dreamer is now me. And those ideas have

come together in three movements set to a percussion concerto by Michael Daugherty that go from

stillness to lushness, from the sparkling night sky to deep underwater. I love what this work does

for the dreamer inside of me. And, I hope, for the dreamer inside you."

The Green Table, considered one of the most influential dance works of the 20th Century, features

military themes and political messaging that will resonate deeply with audiences who have

experienced the travesties of warfare and loss. Created by German choreographer Kurt Jooss between

the World Wars and during the ascent of the Nazi movement, the dance is acclaimed for its message

of the futility and inequities of war. Subtitled A Dance of Death in Eight Scenes, The Green Table takes audiences

through the stages of war, from political negotiations to the battlefront and ultimately to the

horrific aftermath, with death ever-present and steering the fate of mankind. With timeless designs

by Hein Heckroth and Hermann Mankard, music by Fritz Cohen and live accompaniment of two pianists,

The Green Table remains as transformative, and, unfortunately, as relevant today as when it

premiered 90 years ago.

Complementing the dance performances, The Music Center will partner with Zócalo Public Square to

host an evening of ideas and conversation, How Is Art a Weapon In War?, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023,

at 7:00 p.m., outdoors on Jerry Moss Plaza at The Music Center. Moderated by Pulitzer Prize-winning

author Viet Thanh Nguyen, the discussion will address the long and global tradition of

artists-visual, performing, literary-who create arresting, beautiful works that address the horrors

of war, and the impact that these artworks have on society. Panelists will include Paul Taylor

Dance Company Artistic Director Michael Novak; artist, filmmaker and writer Gelare Khoshgozaran;

Kinsey African American Art & History Collection and Foundation COO and Chief Curator Khalil

Kinsey; and Pussy Riot creator Nadya Tolokonnikova. The discussion will also be streamed live

online at youtube.com/zocalopublicsquare.

The public is highly encouraged to RSVP for the evening of ideas and conversation at

musiccenter.org/zocalopanel.

Tickets to Paul Taylor Dance Company's performances are available for purchase now by visiting

musiccenter.org/paultaylor or calling (213) 972-0711. The Music Center's Ticket Buyer Assurance

Program protects all advance ticket purchases for dance presentations through 2023. Ticketed

patrons will receive, at their request, a full refund or a credit for a future performance if Los

Angeles County or the State of California elects to restrict or prohibit large gathering events at

venues, resulting in the cancellation by The Music Center of dance performances due to

COVID-19-related conditions. If an event is postponed or rescheduled, ticketed patrons will be

moved automatically to the new performance date; however, patrons may request a refund or credit

for the future. All changes must be handled prior to the purchaser's scheduled performance date.

While The Music Center strongly encourages the use of masks on its campus, it no longer requires

the use of masks or proof of vaccination/booster for access to its theatres. The Music Center

remains committed to the highest standards of safety, sanitation and security to minimize risk for

guests, artists and employees. Visit musiccenter.org/safety for information about The Music

Center's continued safety and security measures.

In accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

directives, The Music Center worked behind-the-scenes during the pandemic to prepare for the return

of live performances in its venues, both indoors and outdoors, by implementing new measures and

procedures. The Music Center became the first performing arts organization in the nation to earn

the UL Verified Healthy Buildings Mark for Indoor Air and Water Quality. The Music Center underwent

an extensive assessment process to earn the verification, demonstrating that each of its four

venues, Grand Park's administrative office and The Music Center Annex, has excellent quality for

indoor air and water. Additionally, The Music Center has enhanced all cleaning procedures,

installed hand sanitizer more dispensers in all public spaces and created a contact-free experience in its public restrooms as

well as instituted electronic ticketing and a digital program book, among other measures.

CALENDAR LISTING

Paul Taylor Dance Company Friday, April 28, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 29, 2023, at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 30, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.

The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

Last company appearance at The Music Center: 2021

Company B

Opus number: 96

Music: Songs sung by the Andrews Sisters Costumes: Santo Loquasto

Lighting: Jennifer Tipton

Date first performed: June 20, 1991

Dreamachine (World Premiere) Music: Michael Daugherty Choreography: Lauren Lovette

Set and costumes: Santo Loquasto Lighting: Jennifer Tipton

The Green Table

Book and choreography: Kurt Jooss Music: F.A. Cohen

Costumes: Hein Heckroth

Masks and lighting design: Hermann Markard Staging and supervision: Jeanette Vondersaar Co-staging

and repetiteur: Claudio Schellino Lighting directed by: Berry Claassen

About Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center

Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center, a TMC Arts program, is one of the leading

presenters of dance on the West Coast. The celebrated series offers significant works by

prestigious ballet and contemporary dance artists from around the world. Now entering its 20th

year, Dance at The Music Center is a powerful force, supporting new works and artists-in-residence

projects by today's most influential companies and choreographers. Performances take place

throughout The Music Center, including the historic Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the distinctive Ahmanson Theatre and the iconic

Walt Disney Concert Hall, on the Jerry Moss Plaza and in locations around the Los Angeles area. The

20th season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center is generously supported by Glorya

Kaufman Foundation, Center Dance Arts, Dorothy B. Chandler Program Fund and Elisabeth Katte Harris.

About Center Dance Arts

Center Dance Arts is a dynamic community of patrons with a passion for dance. Center Dance Arts

members bring dance to life in Los Angeles by promoting The Music Center's world-class dance

performances, extensive educational outreach and free and low-cost community experiences so all may

experience the transformative power of dance. For more information, visit musiccenter.org/cda.

About The Music Center

The Music Center convenes artists, communities and ideas with the goal of deepening the cultural

lives of every resident in Los Angeles County. The $70 million non-profit performing arts

organization has two divisions: TMC Arts and TMC Ops. TMC Arts, The Music Center's programming

engine, provides year- round programming inside The Music Center's four theatres, on Jerry Moss

Plaza, outside at Grand Park-a 12-acre adjacent green space-in schools and other locations all over

Los Angeles County and on a digital platform called The Music Center Offstage. TMC Arts presents

world-class dance with Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center, free and low-cost public

concerts and events, as well as live and digital K–12 arts education programs, workshops,

performances, interactive experiences and special events. TMC Ops manages the theatres, the Plaza

and Grand Park, which comprise $2 billion in county assets, on behalf of the County of Los Angeles.

The Music Center is also home to four renowned resident companies-Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles

Master Chorale, LA Opera and LA Phil. For more information, visit musiccenter.org. Follow The Music

Center on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @MusicCenterLA.

About Paul Taylor Dance Company

One of the most iconic and dynamic modern dance ensembles of our time, the Paul Taylor Dance

Company has been innovating and transforming the art form of modern dance since 1954. With a

history of multidisciplinary collaborations, passionate expression and thrilling athleticism, the

Company is known worldwide for its vast repertory, performing work from the Founder's canon; new

works created by some of today's most engaging and established choreographers; and important

historical dance from the 20th and 21st centuries. Dedicated to sharing modern dance with the

broadest possible audience, the Company tours annually, both domestically and internationally, with

performances and a variety of educational programs and engagement offerings. paultaylordance.org