Taylor Treasures: Cloven Kingdom 5th Grade Fan Art & Reviews, November 1981
by Jonathan Craig, Archivist
While delving into Paul Taylor’s personal correspondence recently, I unearthed a folder stuffed with drawings and reviews from Susan K. Davis’s 5th-grade class at the Laboratory School in Chicago. The students attended a special “mini-concert” of Cloven Kingdom and Diggity at the Auditorium Theater on November 9, 1981, and afterward sent Paul 19 handmade cards featuring drawings of the dancers and their candid thoughts about the performance. This was their first exposure to modern dance and it is heartwarming to learn that many were pleasantly surprised they enjoyed the experience, however, others seemed to be more impressed with the venue instead. Many students, though, seemed to be intrigued yet puzzled by the headpieces in Cloven Kingdom and the dogs of Diggity and asked Paul to explain their existence.
Here are just a few examples of the students’ work:
What makes this discovery even more delightful is Paul’s two-page response to the class, and fortunately for us, he kept a copy! It’s a perfectly enchanting (and hysterical) display of his wit where he skillfully answers their questions while simultaneously criticizing their 10-year-old artistic abilities.
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did!
Click the links below to learn more about the dances the kids saw that day!
