I’m so sorry I only found out now about Ed Tyler

In reading the Post today I was excited to see an article featuring a work of Ed Tyler, a former dance instructor of mine and friend. After taking two courses with him, Improvisation and Partnering Methods, our paths crossed many times at the Perk…and we even served jury duty together. Then this month it had struck me as odd that there were more downloads of his picture than any other pages on my website. But now I’m not happy to learn why:

Tyler, 42, died an apparent suicide on Nov. 8, while this work was still in rehearsal. His death shocked the dance community — Tyler was a respected local choreographer but was especially beloved as a teacher (he had taught at Liz Lerman Dance Exchange and the University of Maryland, among other institutions) and a mentor to many local dancers.

Ed was one of the most talented dancers, gifted instructors, and compassionate humans I’ve known. I’ve studied with many dance instructors, and Ed had a uniquely intuitive way of approaching motion–he was able to help novices explore the intricacies of connection…and to bring to life the movements of experienced dancers. He didn’t just offer an art form as an addition to our daily activities, he explained how to find and express art within our activities. That may sound cliche, but his was the only dance course where I enjoyed the homework activities and readings as much as the movement in class. There was just so much to learn and it was more than simply dance.

I’m so sad to hear this horrible news. It’s a loss to so many people. But he’ll be not only remembered by those he knew…he’ll be expressed in the way we live our lives–through our connection, our presence, and our deeper understanding of the world. I’m so lucky to have worked closely with Ed–and I wish I didn’t have to wait for news like this to write about him. Rest in peace, Ed Tyler.