Paul Taylor

In January 1996, the culture wars were in full swing. The National Endowment for the Arts had received funding cuts, in part because of grants to controversial artists. It was during this moment that State of the Arts producer Amber Edwards spoke one-on-one with famed choreographer Paul Taylor (1930-2018). Considered one of the greatest choreographers of his time, his recognition included the National Medal of Honor, a MacArthur “Genius” grant, and France’s highest honor, the Légion d’Honneur. Amber spoke to Paul at his apartment in New York, where he reflected upon the cyclical nature of support for the arts, his early career as a dancer and choreographer, and the innate desire of all human beings to express themselves through movement.