Paul Taylor Creative Domain (2014)
Among the most acclaimed choreographers in American history, Paul Taylor has been reinventing the roles of music, movement and theme in dance for nearly 60 years. In that time he has offered only glimpses into his creative process. Creative Domain is a rare in-depth documentation of how he creates a single dance. Through the lens of award-winning cinematographer Tom Hurwitz, we see Paul’s non-verbal communication with his dancers. Below the surface of this dance and the many works that came before, is Paul’s power of acute observation, revealing a side to his choreography that is strangely prophetic. The dominant voice is Paul’s, between the guarded and unguarded moments we see him with new eyes and new understanding.
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A Masterpiece!
A lot of fun.
The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.
It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.
I found this film to be a complete and utter bore. I do remember the seeing other user reviewer of this film, Rachel Berman, perform and she was a wonderful dancer But I"m afraid this new work and film, is just not what I had hoped it would be. The point seemed to be to drum up sales for the company's spring season, and I was handed a card on the way in that gave me a code for a 26% discount on tickets. Ballet 422 was used to the same effect for NYCB (but no discount there), but that was a much better film and really showed Justin Peck's creative process.I think part of the problem with this film was the boring camera work. Part of it was that the work is simply uninteresting and Paul Taylor is now too old to demonstrate the finer points of choreography. Also this group of dancers is now no longer of the caliber of Rachel, Patrick Corbin and Lisa Viola. I can only say that if someone wants to see a documentary on Paul Taylor (and really, who needs 2 of these) they watch the VASTLY superior documentary by Matthew Diamond entitled, Paul Taylor, Dancemaker.
Full disclosure- I was lucky enough to dance for the Paul Taylor Dance Company for over a decade. It was the best time of my life, and I will always be identified as a "Taylor dancer"- a very high honor indeed! Though I have known the man for several decades now, he is an extremely private person, dedicated to this ephemeral art. Filmmaker Kate Geis goes behind the scenes to show how he creates a beautiful dance from scribbled notes on a pad, a piece of music and his gorgeous dancers. It is truly remarkable. A masterpiece out of thin air. As he recently turned 85- this is an important documentation that will show future generations the man that has helped shape modern dance for over 60 years!