When William Forsythe is asked during public talks about the role of the dramaturg in his creative processes, he says the dramaturg serves as a "tutor" to both himself and the ensemble, streamlining and furthering the education of a collective limited by the temporal demands of their profession. Referring recently to his collaborations with David Levin, Heidi Gilpin, and Patricia Baudoin in the late 1980s, he commented, "It was an excuse… They had the title of dramaturg but actually were helping me read, and learn how to read, certain kinds of texts which I had no way into without [access to] a university… [t]hey offered wonderful readings and suggestions' (Forsythe, "Iconic Artist Talk").