Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts is honored to present the iconic Paul Taylor Dance Company for a one-night-only performance on March 13, 2025, at 7:30 PM. This event marks the company’s highly anticipated return to Thalian Hall, bringing world-class modern dance to Wilmington’s historic stage.

The evening features the North Carolina premiere of acclaimed choreographer Hope Boykin’s How Love Sounds performed by nine dancers and set to her favorite songs that “sound like love” including songs by Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Donna Summer, Patsy Cline, and Antonín Dvořák, which premiered at the Kennedy Center on February 27th, 2025. Set on the company by the esteemed Hope Boykin, a North Carolina native, two-time Bessie award recipient, former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater star, and a distinguished choreographer in her own right. Boykin’s contributions to the company bring a fresh perspective while honoring Taylor’s legacy, making this performance an extraordinary blend of history and innovation.

The evening’s performance will also highlight Taylor’s masterful choreography with his acclaimed work Esplanade, celebrating it’s 50th year anniversary. “Esplanade was lauded by The New Yorker following its 1975 premiere for conferring ‘a mythic dimension on ordinary aspects of our daily lives,’ and has thrilled audiences for a half-century,” said Taylor Artistic Director Michael Novak, who danced in the work during his decade-long performing career. “Over its thirty minutes, a dancer runs the gamut of human emotion: love, loss, isolation, community, romance, euphoria. It’s all in there, and it leaves both dancer and viewer on a high that is unmatchable.” Rooted in North Carolina’s artistic legacy, Esplanade is celebrated for its breathtaking movement, musicality, and emotional depth.