Six Studios, One Beat: The Taylor Dance Company

Paul Taylor Dance Company (PTDC) was established in 1954 by one of the forefathers of modern American dance. Paul Taylor himself helped create an art form that would captivate audiences worldwide, building a company that became internationally renowned for its innovative performances.

When they moved into their new Manhattan home, a sleek, six-studio space alive with creativity, they discovered they needed more than just additional square footage. 

They needed rhythm. 

Not in the dancers' steps, because they had that mastered after seven decades of world-class performances. But in how the space itself moved through the day: who used what, when, and where.

We spoke with Noah Aberlin, General Manager, about how they solved their space management challenge with Joan.

From two studios to a symphony of schedules

For years, managing space at PTDC was as simple as pointing to a whiteboard and saying, “Studio A is open.” But their new home in the Garment District with six studios, three resident organizations, back-to-back classes, rehearsals, and rentals changed the tempo. 

The Taylor School was running classes across the building. Dance Lab New York, PTDC’s subtenant, had their own schedule. And the core company needed rehearsal time, often at the same time as everyone else. Without a proper system, they were headed for a scheduling pile-up.

What's that on the wall?

They explored various room management solutions, weighing both digital and physical options, but the answer came from an unexpected source during their regular construction meetings.

"When we were meeting with our architects for this new space, they used Joan products, and we would have our weekly meetings with them," Aberlin recalls. "My executive director saw the Joan products and inquired with them about what they used and how they liked it, and they raved about the product."

Getting a glowing recommendation from professionals who used the system daily carried significant weight. The architects had experienced Joan's reliability firsthand in their own demanding work environment. Their enthusiasm eliminated any remaining doubts about the decision.

Setting the stage for success

PTDC deployed Joan 13 displays strategically throughout their new facility. Each studio door now features clear information about current activities and upcoming bookings. A central lobby monitor provides an overview of all studio schedules, helping visitors navigate to their destination without assistance.

Joan integrates seamlessly with their existing Google Calendar workflow, and the team developed a naming convention that displays essential details including class information, instructor names, and supervisory staff when relevant.

One implementation choice reflects the unique demands of their environment. The company chose non-touch displays specifically for their high-traffic setting. "We enjoy the non-touch just because such a high traffic area, and there are only certain people that have the ability to book out the space, so we want to keep that limited to the managers of the space," Aberlin explains.

Traditional structure, creative energy

Above the dance studios, PTDC maintains a conventional office environment for their administrative team of twenty employees. Each person has an individual workspace, with only the conference room functioning as shared space.

This traditional setup suits their operational needs perfectly. Physical art forms require in-person collaboration, making remote work impractical for most functions. However, their office environment offers unique advantages that many modern workplaces lack.

"One of the benefits of working here," Aberlin notes, "employees can just take a break, and they can go down and sit in on a rehearsal, or poke their head in on a class, and it invigorates and excites a lot of my coworkers. Every now and then, something reminds us what we're working for. What are we trying to gain? You just walk downstairs and you see these artists and these students working so hard. It’s very satisfying to have that going on right below us."

When the right solution meets the right challenge

Joan has delivered exactly what PTDC needed, solving their space management challenges with three key benefits:

1. Seamless calendar integration. The system works perfectly with their existing Google Calendar workflow, requiring no workflow changes while providing instant schedule updates across all displays.
2. Automated scheduling coordination. Joan handles their complex multi-organization booking requirements, eliminating double bookings and confusion across six studios without requiring additional staff oversight.
3. Crystal-clear visual communication. The displays show current activities and upcoming bookings at every studio door, allowing visitors to navigate independently while staff focus on supporting artistic excellence.

"Joan is working really, really well for us," Aberlin reports. "We've had no complaints, we've had no suggestions. It’s exactly what we needed."

Joan keeps things in motion without missing a beat

The truth is, great organizations don't succeed because they have perfect technology. They succeed because they choose tools that get out of their way and let them do what they do best.

For PTDC that means creating art that moves people. For your organization, it might be something entirely different. But the principle remains the same: the best workplace solutions are the ones you stop thinking about because they just work.

"Joan is an extremely well thought out and integrated system for booking rooms, and it is easy to use," Aberlin explains. "It integrates very well with how we run our company and our spaces."

Whether your workspace looks like a corporate headquarters or a dance studio, Joan's workplace solutions adapt to how you actually work. Because at the end of the day, your space should support your mission, not complicate it.

Ready to see how Joan can help your organization do what it does best? Let's talk.