Merce Cunningham

American dancer and choreographer Merce Cunningham had a significant influence on modern dance marking the beginning of the development of postmodern dance. Considered as the father of postmodern dance Merce Cunningham’ s work clearly differs in many ways from the modern choreographers that came before him. Throughout Cunningham’s work there are distinguishing key features that can be seen in their presentation and were used in his creative process. The use of design elements and collaboration with other artists became separate, individual entities. Cunningham’s interest in chance and uncertainty strongly influenced many aspects of his work from the choreographic process to the presentation of indeterminate performances. He removed the traditional barriers governing the arrangement of how dance is usually performed in space and where it is typically performed. His disinterest in communicating a narrative or storyline was evident in his works, where he often presented movement for its own sake without having to symbolize an emotion or idea. (Au, 2002, p155) His use of technology, in particular video as an additional creative technique revolutionised the way dance could be viewed. These features abandon the established traditions and innovations of the previous modern dance and ballet, which is clearly seen when his work is compared to choreographers of modern dance. (Au, 2002, p158)

Cunningham created a new relationship between dance and design elements such as music, visual design, stage design etc. Each design element was treated as an individual and independent art form when being created, however at their completion, were performed together simultaneously. This began through Cunningham’s collaboration with composer John Cage who also opposed the idea of two art forms depending on each other, rather being presented together as equals. (Au, 2002, p155) This process differs to the works of modern choreographer Martha Graham who used the design elements such as

References: • Au, Susan (2002). “Truly modern”, Ballet and modern dance. Thames and Hudson, 119-131. • Au, Susan (2002). “The metamorphosis of form”, Ballet and modern dance, Thames and Hudson, 155-158. • Sally Banes & Noel Carroll (2006). “Cunningham, Balanchine, and Postmodern Dance”, Dance Chronicle, 29 (1), 49-68. • Sayers, Leslie-Anne (1994). “Cunningham revisited”, Dance theatre journal, 11 (3) Autumn, 37-39. Bibliography: • Au, Susan (2002). “Truly modern”, Ballet and modern dance. Thames and Hudson, 119-131. • Au, Susan (2002). “The metamorphosis of form”, Ballet and modern dance, Thames and Hudson, 155-158. • Sally Banes & Noel Carroll (2006). “Cunningham, Balanchine, and Postmodern Dance”, Dance Chronicle, 29 (1), 49-68. • Sayers, Leslie-Anne (1994). “Cunningham revisited”, Dance theatre journal, 11 (3) Autumn, 37-39.