In 1945, Cunningham departed the dance company of Martha Graham and started working with John Cage. (With John Cage, posthumously) the Wexner Prize of the Wexner Center for the Arts at Ohio State University, Columbus OH Merce Cunningham grew up in Centrailia, Washington, and began dancing at age 20. Honorary degree from Wesleyan University, Middletown CT Merce Cunningham was an American modern dancer and teacher, most remembered as an innovative and influential choreographer. Many of his pieces had sections or sequences that were rehearsed so that they could be put in any order and done at any time. Alexander Street Press. Such a clear thing, this toss of a die, or a handful of pennies, and yet chance is the part of the Cunningham dogma taken on faith, and dimly apprehended. Cunningham first experienced dance while living in Centralia. Mercier Philip "Merce" Cunningham (April 16, 1919 – July 26, 2009) was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of American modern dance for more than 50 years. In the use of chance procedures, Cunningham abandoned the more traditional structured form of dance. New York Dance and Performance Award ("Bessie"), New York NY The original company included dancers Carolyn Brown, Viola Farber, Marianne Preger-Simon, Paul Taylor, and Remy Charlip, and musicians John Cage and David Tudor. Accessed 27 June 2015. Frank Stella/Artists Rights Society (ARS)/Courtesy WNET-TV New York Archives At this post-secondary educational institution, he became friends with John Cage, who was a composer. Medal of Honor from the Universidad Complutense of Madrid, Spain From 1971 until its dissolution in 2012, the company was based in the Westbeth Artists Community in West Village; for a time Cunningham himself lived a block away at 107 Bank Street, with John Cage. I think one of the very primary things that happened then was the publication of the "I Ching," the Chinese book of changes, from which you can cast your fortune: the hexagrams. Merce Cunningham was a respected dancer and choreographer. The career of Merce Cunningham (born 1919 in Centralia, Washington; died 2009 in New York City) was notable not only for its major achievement in contemporary dance but also for its many strong collaborations with major artists, designers and composers. [13], In its later years, the company had a two-year residency at Dia:Beacon, where MCDC performed Events, Cunningham's site-specific choreographic collages, in the galleries of Richard Serra, Dan Flavin, and Sol LeWitt among others. The Plan provided a roadmap for the future of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, as envisioned by Cunningham. Video of Roaratorio, by John Cage, and Sounddance, by David Tudor, as choreographed by Merce Cunningham for his dance company. Award of Merit from the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, New York NY, 1989 They also collaborated on a host of works, including “The Seasons”, which was performed during 1947, and “Inlets”, which was performed during 1952. Décor: Andy Warhol (Silver Clouds) Merce always believed that people who committed their lives to dancing did so because they loved it. Before each performance dancers chose an outfit from a pile of second-hand clothes picked out by the designer, Robert Rauschenberg. Lighting: Brian MacDevitt Clearly, the two made a perfect pair, on and off the stage. [18] Jasper Johns followed as Artistic Advisor from 1967 until 1980, and Mark Lancaster from 1980 through 1984. Famously, they asserted that dance and its music should not be intentionally coordinated with one another. Fellow of the Academy of Performing Arts, Hong Kong Music: David Tudor, Toneburst & Untitled (1975/1994) Summary of Merce Cunningham. Décor: Benedetta Tagliabue [4], Merce Cunningham was born in Centralia, Washington in 1919, the second of three sons. Lighting: Josh Johnson, Nearly Ninety (2009) During this time, she established a life-long friendship with Cunningham and Cage. The career of Merce Cunningham (born 1919 in Centralia, Washington; died 2009 in New York City) was notable not only for its major achievement in contemporary dance but also for its many strong collaborations with major artists, designers and composers. He was also known to use the I Ching in order to bring exciting chance into the mix! Many dancers who trained with Cunningham formed their own companies. [23], The use of stage space also changed in Cunningham's choreography. Cunningham’s lifelong passion for exploration and innovation has made him a leader The Legacy Plan included a comprehensive digital documentation and preservation program, which ensures that pieces from his repertory can be studied, performed and enjoyed by future generations with knowledge of how they originally came to life. He was married to John Cage. Such a clear thing, this toss of a die, or a handful of pennies, and yet chance is the part of the Cunningham dogma taken on faith, and dimly apprehended. Décor: Ernesto Neto, Other Animal The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, New York NY Kennedy Center Honors, Washington DC Both pieces were inspired by the works of … He started his life in Centralia, Washington and ended his days in the Big Apple. Lighting: Richard Nelson, Second Hand (1970) Lighting: Aaron Copp, Split Sides (2003) Music: John King, blues 99 The key to the City of Montpellier, France, 1998 Officier of the Légion d'Honneur, France, 2003 The "front and centre" spot traditionally coveted by soloists no longer exists in his works. Cunningham’s lifelong passion for exploration and innovation has made him a leader The major exhibition Invention: Merce Cunningham & Collaborators at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts closed on October 13, 2007. The Cunningham Dance Foundation announced the Legacy Plan (LLP) in June 2009. Photo by James Klosty 1968. During 2005, he was awarded the Japan Art Association’s prize, Praemium Imperiale, for film and theater. Throughout his seventy-year career, Merce choreographed more than 180 dances and over 700 “Events,” which combined excerpts from diverse works in novel contexts. As he created his new works, his romance with John Cage evolved. He frequently used cards, dice and the I Ching (an ancient Chinese text, also known as The Book of Changes ) to decide compositional elements like body part, direction and number of dancers. In 2008, Cunningham released his Loops choreography for the hands as motion-capture data under a Creative Commons license; this was the basis for the open-source collaboration of the same name with The OpenEnded Group. [10], Cunningham lived in New York City, and was Artistic Director of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. Cunningham was one of the first choreographers to begin experimenting with film. Walker Art Center Menu. The Cunningham Legacy. Although the use of chance operations was considered an abrogation of artistic responsibility,[19] Cunningham was thrilled by a process that arrives at works that could never have been created through traditional collaboration. His dancing and choreography dazzled audiences and critics alike. Bagley Wright Fund Established Artists Award, Seattle WA, 1997 Over the course of his nearly 70-year career, Merce Cunningham (1919–2009) redefined the visual and performing arts through pioneering collaborations with leading artists, designers, and musicians. During 2012, the Trust set up a headquarters within the City Center in NYC. Impeccable timing, delicious jokes, moments of luminous clarity – Merce Cunningham's presence in his company's final season remains thrillingly vivid, writes Judith Mackrell Merce Cunningham was born on April 16, 1919 in Centralia, Washington. Music: John Cage, ASLSP and Music for Two He lived for the act of dancing itself and the feeling of vitality that it gave him. Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN Dance in Video: Volume II. MacArthur Fellowship from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Chicago IL, 1984 As a choreographer, teacher, and leader of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company,[2] Cunningham had a profound influence on modern dance. Well, I took this also for dance. Composite image of Merce Cunningham pieces: (interior) Merce Cunningham Dance Company performing Anniversary Event during the exhibition of Olafur Eliasson’s The Weather Project at Tate Modern in London, November 2003; a screen shot of Décor for Scramble (1967) on Event for Television, 1977. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis, MN 55403 (612) 375-7600 Merce Cunningham: Dancing on the Cutting Edge, an exhibition of recent design for MCDC, opened at the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, in January 2007. Cunningham asked Rauschenberg to make something for 'dance area' something "he could move through, around, and with” and from there, Rauschenberg created amazing sets and costumes for Cunningham dances for … Impeccable timing, delicious jokes, moments of luminous clarity – Merce Cunningham's presence in his company's final season remains thrillingly vivid, writes Judith Mackrell Music: David Behrman, Long Throw and/or Annea Lockwood, Jitterbug Julie Cunningham is an award-winning dance artist, formerly with Merce Cunningham Dance Company and Michael Clark Company and performing in projects with Jerome Bel and Boris Charmatz. This included exiting and entering at will, executing it in any order and as many times as desired. Décor & Costumes: Jasper Johns The technique emphasizes clarity of form, coordination of torso and legwork, rhythmic accuracy, spatial awareness and virtuosity. In the summer of 1953, as a teacher in residence at Black Mountain College, Cunningham formed the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. He subsequently studied at Mills College (1938) with dancer and choreographer Lester Horton and at Bennington College (1939), where he was invited by Martha Graham to join her group. Its repertory included works by musicians ranging from John Cage and Gordon Mumma to Gavin Bryars as well as popular bands like Radiohead, Sigur Rós and Sonic Youth.[17]. Music: John Cage, Music for Piano Décor, Lighting, Costumes: Mark Lancaster, Ocean (1994) Contact us Stay Connected Keep updated with the latest news by following us and staying connected on social media. [8] In 1939, Cunningham moved to New York and danced as a soloist in the Martha Graham Dance Company for six years. The official establishment of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company took place at Black Mountain College in August 1953. Such non-representational dance appears in many styles throughout history, but was not commonly used by ballet or Martha Graham, Cunningham's primary influences. He took tap class from a local teacher, Mrs Maude Barrett, whose energy and spirit taught him to love dance. The Merce Cunningham Dance Company amplified the solos performed by Baryshnikov with material from events, excerpts from the repertory. Grand Prix of the Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques, France, 1996 I recognized with great pleasure the games from “Signals” (1970) and a superb duet from “Interscape,” performed by Melissa Toogood and Brandon Collwes. Inducted as an Honorary Member into the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, New York NY, 1983 Honorary degree from Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia, 2000 In his performances, he often used the I Ching to determine the sequence of his dances and, often, dancers were not informed of the order until the night of the performance. He continued to lead his company until his death, and presented a new work, Nearly Ninety, in April 2009, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York, to mark his 90th birthday. Cunningham choreographed almost 200 works for his company. Music: Emanuel Dimas de Melo Pimenta, Short Waves & SBbr In 2007, MCDC premiered XOVER, Cunningham's final collaboration with Rauschenberg, at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. Cunningham preferred the ambiguous nature of dance, which gave him an outlet for exploration of movement. While he was a teenager, he learned more about dancing, via a vaudevillian and circus performer named Maude Barrett. The Merce Cunningham Dance Company returns to New York City—its home since its founding in 1953—for six historic final performances at the Armory, culminating a two-year farewell Legacy Tour that brought the Company to more than 50 destinations worldwide. Most of Cunningham's choreographic process works to break the boundaries of "putting on a show," the removal of centre stage is an example of this—without a focal point for the audience, no one dancer or step holds the most value and can be seen as arbitrary... or not. He was rewarded with a glittering assortment of awards, including a gold medal (for choreographic invention) in Paris, at the 4th International Festival of Dance. On the occasion of his ninetieth birthday, Brooklyn’s Academy of Music put on a performance of his last work, which was titled, Nearly Ninety. And it was done not to the music but with the music of Christian Wolff. While at Bennington, dancing legend, Martha Graham, asked him to join her dance troupe. Dance/USA National Honor, New York NY, 1987 Cunningham valued the process of a work over the product. Danced for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company (1984-1993), and White Oak Dance Project (1994-1996). Each movement was assigned a playing card and chosen randomly. Golden Lion of the Venice Biennale, Italy, 1993 During 1952, he made history by creating choreography (Suite by Chance) which was performed alongside electronic music. Video Design: Franc Aleu, 2009 Handel Medallion from the Mayor of New York City NY Music: Conlon Nancarrow (from Rhythm Studies for Player Piano) His avant-garde dance performances and innovative choreography earned him plenty of fans and lots of critical acclaim. Following two years of formal training and work with the dance company of Martha Graham, Cunningham started his own company in 1953 to experiment with concepts in modern dance. Lighting: Josh Johnson, eyeSpace (2007) Nellie Cornish Arts Achievement Award from his alma mater, Cornish College of the Arts, Seattle WA, 1995 He presented his first solo concert in New York in April 1944 with composer John Cage, who became his lifelong romantic partner and frequent collaborator until Cage's death in 1992.[9]. In 1953, Cunningham gathered four other dancers and formed the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. At the end of the 1990s, he received the Isadora Duncan Dance Award, which recognized his lifetime achievement in his field. Named a "Living Legend" by the Library of Congress, Washington DC, 1999 All images courtesy of Beth Weinstein.] Airs on American Masters, 9:00 p.m. Sunday, December 16, 2001, on PBS affiliates (check local listings). Lighting: Josh Johnson, CRWDSPCR (1993) They include Paul Taylor, Remy Charlip, Viola Farber, Charles Moulton, Karole Armitage, Robert Kovich, Foofwa d'Imobilité, Kimberly Bartosik, Flo Ankah, Jan Van Dyke, Jonah Bokaer, and Alice Reyes. Chance became an integral part of his work. He later joined Martha Graham's dance company and choreographed his own works using music from composer John Cage, who … He died in his home at the age of 90.[11]. Music: Mikel Rouse, International Cloud Atlas As part of these celebrations, SummerStage will host, Merce Cunningham: SummerCool, an evening of performances guest curated by 92nd Street Y’s Catherine Tharin, featuring the Stephen Petronio Company, which has incorporated several of Cunningham’s radical theater work into its repertoire; Melissa Toogood, a Bessie Award winning, former member of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company… He began to choreograph dances while attending the Cornish School of Fine Art. We’ll discuss the early period of his life and then move onto his major career highlights. He died on July 26, 2009 in New York City, New York, USA. He was born in April of 1919 and passed away during the summer of 2009. Contact Us Have a question or request? During a seven-decade career, Cunningham was a dancer, avant-garde choreographer, film producer, multimedia artist, and teacher. With Carolyn Brown, John Cage, Ashley Chen, Brandon Collwes. Cunningham formed Merce Cunningham Dance Company (MCDC) at Black Mountain College in 1953. Many of Cunningham's most famous innovations were developed in collaboration with composer John Cage, his life partner. Airs on American Masters, 9:00 p.m. Sunday, December 16, 2001, on PBS affiliates (check local listings). Merce Cunningham, Director: Variations V. Merce Cunningham was born on April 16, 1919 in Centralia, Washington, USA as Mercier Philip Cunningham. Swinston joined the Company in August 1980 and … (1992), This page was last edited on 20 December 2020, at 13:18. Phrases from Merce Cunningham’s choreography are often included in the class. In Story (1963) Cunningham experimented with the variables of costumes and sets. Julie Cunningham & Company was established in 2017. Soon enough, theater life became captivating. By other provisions of the plan, the Merce Cunningham Trust, established by Cunningham to serve as the custodian for his works, controls his dances for licensing purposes; Cunningham associates prepared detailed records of the dances so they could be licensed and given authentic productions by other companies. The music came from an avant-garde composer known as Christian Wolff. The Samuel H. Scripps/American Dance Festival Award, Durham NC In 1964 the Cunningham Dance Foundation was established to support his work. One of this first works was called “Root of an Unfocus”. The final performance of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company was on December 31, 2011, at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City. The Merce Cunningham Trust website is a great place to access so much factual and interesting information about this American dance pioneer and his life and times. This Trust was created in 2000, by Cunningham himself, and it functions as the custodian for all of Cunningham’s work. Instead of finding out what you think should follow—say a particular sound—what did the I Ching suggest? He also had a short stint at George Washington University. The Merce Cunningham Dance Company O F ALL of the multiple innovations in the work of Merce Cunningham, the use of chance is the most confusing. Décor: Paul Kaiser, Shelley Eshkar As a … In 1968 Cunningham and Francis Starr published a book, Changes: Notes on Choreography, containing various sketches of their choreography. His dances featured a prism of moods and were characterized by sudden changes in movement which provided a lot of visual contrast. His work not only shaped American modern dance and choreographic processes in the 20th and 21st centuries, but influenced music, contemporary art, and much more. While receiving his formal dance and theatre training, he was spotted by the great dancer, Martha Graham, who offered him a chance to work in her company. The Merce Cunningham Dance Company returns to New York City—its home since its founding in 1953—for six historic final performances at the Armory, culminating a two-year farewell Legacy Tour that brought the Company to more than 50 destinations worldwide. The viewer's focus is never directed to a particular spot; he must often decide among many centres of activity.[24]. From Merce's death at age 90 through the Board's last meeting in 2012, the Legacy Plan implemented his wish that the Company complete a worldwide legacy tour and then close. The iconic Merce Cunningham and the last generation of his dance company is stunningly profiled in Alla Kovgan's 3D documentary, through recreations of his landmark works and archival footage of Cunningham, John Cage, and Robert Rauschenberg. Lighting: Richard Nelson (1970) Décor: Daniel Arsham, ODE/EON Merce Cunningham Dance Company Collection. Cédric Andrieux, director of dance at the Conservatory, and former dancer of Merce Cunningham Dance Company, decided to bring together the one hundred and twenty students in the Conservatory's percussion class for this giant event proposed at La Villette in November 2019, the framework of the Autumn Festival in Paris. The Mayor of New York's Award of Honor for Arts and Culture, New York NY, 1982 He utilized a mixture of formal training, raw talent, hard work and collaboration in order to create and/or perform dance pieces that gave audiences pleasure, as well as food for thought. 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