Cocktail Party Fact: When it premiered, Aureole was called “the white ballet” for the white costumes of the performers. A combination of ballet and modern, the work was a little shocking because it used technique and ideas rejected by the modern dance community.

Here’s the plot: Aureole is loosely broken down into five sections with five dancers - two men and three women. The first is a dialogue between one of the men and the three women. The women enter and leave the stage, with the man following behind, dancing their own phrase. The second man has a solo for the second section, in which he rarely moves from his beginning position twisting his body into decorative poses. This is followed by a female solo who, as opposed to the male solo, is constantly moving around with sideways jumps and scooping the air with her hands. There is a brief dance with the other two women and the first man. The fourth section is a duet between the male and female soloist with a lift and embrace sequence. The finale is the most important section of the dance where all five performers move with exaggerated movements similar to the original steps.

Memorable Moments: Aureole’s final section in which the previous four sections have been turned inside out - rhythms that were once lyrical have gone out of control, and straight movements turn crooked.

Vital Statistics: Choreographed by Paul Taylor with music by George Handel, the piece premiered in 1962 at Connecticut College during the American Dance Festival.

Why See It?: One of the best known works by Taylor, Aureole is included in the repertoire of companies around the world.