His dance company was set up in 1953
- What is the name of his company?
The creative title of his company is ‘The Merce Cunningham Dance Company’
- Why are his dances called “formal” and “abstract”?
In “formal” or “abstract” dances, the steps don’t have a particular meaning. Cunningham uses this style because he likes to associate his dances with a lot of randomness.
- Describe the key features of his movement style.
Cunningham uses fast footwork, curving, tilting and rotating the torso whilst travelling.
- Explain the different ways Cunningham achieves equality between his dancers.
He is not gender specific towards his artists. He sometimes asks them to be soloists yet at other times he asks them to be in different groups.
- Describe Cunningham’s attitude to the performance space.
Cunningham believes that the dance can be performed anywhere and it is not necessary to be performed on a stage. Some are performed outdoors too.
- What is meant by the term multi-directional?
The dance does not have to face the audience. Some parts can face the side or even the back.
- Describe 2 ways in which Cunningham has used chance as a choreographic tool
He sometimes uses a dice to determine the structure of a piece. He would also flip a coin to find the sequence of a dance.
- Which famous composer has influenced Cunningham’s ideas?
The famous composer that has influenced his ideas is John Cage. This is because Cage also believes in Cunningham’s ideas on chance.
- Describe the relationship between the movement and the accompaniment in Cunningham’s dances.
The dance does not have to go with the style or phrasing of the music.
- List 2 artists who have collaborated with Cunningham.
Cunningham has collaborated with many artists including Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns
- Describe the set of “Rainforest”.
The set included giant silver balloons that floated around the stage. The dancers created a breeze which carried the helium balloons around the stage.
- Name a dance film by Cunningham
Cunningham’s famous work “Points in Space” was recorded by the BBC in 1986.
19) List 2 camera techniques he uses.
He sometimes films his dances from odd viewpoints and angles. He also films from different size spaces.
20) Why is he sometimes described as the “father of post-modern dance”?
Cunningham is described as the “father of post-modern dance” because his ideas were very revolutionary at the time. The only style acceptable in that era was Graham technique of narrative dance. Cunningham rebelled against everything associated to Martha Graham’s style and created his abstract technique. Cunningham’s colleagues see him as a leading pioneer of contemporary dance and that is why he is described as the “father of post-modern dance”.
