PAST & FUTURE: Paul Taylor's DUET and Eliot Smith's HUMAN

This season, experience two distinct and captivating dance works that are filled with passion and commitment.

In spring and summer 2024, Eliot Smith Dance (ESD) embraces the past and future with the premiere of Paul Taylor’s ‘DUET’ from 1964, alongside Eliot Smith’s latest work – ‘HUMAN’.

Celebrating 60 years since its first performance by Paul Taylor Dance Company, DUET joins the ESD repertoire. Set to the music of Franz Josef Haydn, it is a testament to the simplicity and clarity of Taylor's craft. Brief and beautifully shaped, it portrays a love, perhaps not new, but rather tried and true, perfectly executed by two ESD dancers, Rowan Parker and Yamit Salazar.

HUMAN, performed by the Performing Artist of the Year finalist (North East Culture Awards 2023) Yamit Salazar, the work comprises cutting edge contemporary and commercial dancing, exploring the joys, sorrows, idiocies and the brilliance of anything human, set to powerful music by ESD’s composer in residence Adam Johnson.

“At the beginning of this year, ESD visited Paul Taylor Dance Company at their home in New York City to study Paul Taylor’s exquisite DUET on two of ESD dancers with thanks to our Crowdfunder generous supporters. It’s been 20 year’s since a Taylor work has been performed in the UK and therefore ESD is delighted to re-introduce audiences to ESD’s premiere of Taylor’s 1964 DUET. Equally exciting is the return of my recent solo work, HUMAN. This season promises to inspire audiences and celebrate the contemporary dance past and future,” says Eliot Smith, the Company’s Creative Director.

Past & Future is will performed at Dance City in Newcastle upon Tyne on 12 June, 7.30pm with more dates across the North East and beyond to be announced later in the season.

Expect ESD dancers to dazzle you with technical brilliance and sublime energy.

To find out more visit, www.eliotsmithdance.com/pastandfuture