On June 14, 2025, at an audition held at the newly opened Taylor Dance West studios in New York City, Artistic Director Michael Novak selected three dancers from a pool of 90 male candidates to join the Paul Taylor Dance Company. Caleb Mansor, Patrick Gamble, and Yuniel Betancourt will make their Company debuts at The Classic Center Theatre in Athens, Georgia, on September 19, 2025. Supporting Mr. Novak during the audition were Rehearsal Director Cathy McCann and Resident Choreographers Lauren Lovette and Robert Battle, who together evaluated the talent to welcome these new members to the Company’s esteemed roster.
Caleb Mansor hails from Hatboro, Pennsylvania. He began training at age twelve at Metropolitan Ballet Academy and Company in Jenkintown, PA, performing classical ballets and works by contemporary choreographers. From 2022 to 2025, he danced with Nimbus Dance Works in Jersey City under the artistic direction of Samuel Pott. Mr. Mansor earned his BFA in Dance at George Mason University’s School of Dance, performing works by Lucinda Childs, Rafael Bonachela, Christopher d’Amboise, Hope Boykin, and Larry Keigwin.
Patrick Gamble grew up in Queens, NY, and began training at age five in The Ailey School’s Junior Division. He danced with Ailey II for three seasons. Recently, he was in the final cast of Punch Drunk’s Sleep No More. He has performed works by Robert Battle, Ohad Naharin, William Forsythe, Hope Boykin, Baye and Asa, Andrea Miller, Rena Butler, Earl Mosley, and Francesca Harper, and has danced with Nona Hendryx, Mary J.Blige, and English conductor Simon Halsey. Mr. Gamble worked as a movement coordinator for Lincoln Center’s Search For Spring. He was a swing actor at the haunted house, House of Spirits, and later acted in Saturday Night Live, Gossip Girl, and HBO’s Random Acts of Flyness. As a model, he has been published in Vogue Italia, ID magazine, Buzzfeed Photo, The New York Times, and in campaigns for O.Studio.Design, Salomon, and David’s Road. Most recently, the movement directed Fear of God and Players Magazine. Mr. Gamble graduated from the Ailey/Fordham BFA program with a double major in Art History.
Yuniel Betancourt, a native of Miami Florida, is a third-year student at The Boston Conservatory at Berklee, and is a Presidential Scholarship Recipient. While training at New World School of the Arts, he was named a 2023 YoungArts Finalist and Silver Award Winner in choreography. He has also attended summer programs at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Jacob’s Pillow, Gibney, and Gallim. He recently premiered a new creation by Aszure Barton at The Boston Conservatory. Mr. Betancourt has also worked in the commercial world, performing in award shows, music videos, and flash mob events. His choreography has been presented in Miami, Boston, New Mexico, and Pittsburgh, and his most recent piece premiered at the Conservatory this spring.
The Paul Taylor Dance Company a global leader in dance, is headquartered in New York City with an international presence. Under Artistic Director Mr. Novak’s leadership for the past seven years, the Company has embraced bold innovation while staying true to its legacy of creativity and transformation. In January 2025, the Company expanded with a new Midtown headquarters, Taylor Dance West, complementing its established downtown studios, Taylor Dance East. This expansion strengthens its role as a vital resource in New York City, the epicenter of dance. Taylor Dance West offers diverse programs in dance, fitness, and education, aligning with the Company’s mission to engage and inspire. The new headquarters fosters connections with broader, more diverse audiences and serves as a creative hub for artists.
Meanwhile, the Taylor School continues to thrive on the Lower East Side, training thousands of students and community members. With three key locations—Lincoln Center for annual performances, Midtown for Company creation and training, and the Lower East Side for instruction and community outreach—the Paul Taylor Dance Company realizes Mr. Novak’s vision of multiple spaces to connect with audiences and the global dance community.
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