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Sunday, March 24, 2013

Contemporary/Merce Cunningham-Ricky Patel


Contemporary Dance is an exploration of the complete possible movements of the body. Contemporary dance includes a little of classical and modern dance. Some of the major ideas of the dance style include: stress on the torso, disordered technique, unpredictable rhythm, speed and direction. This dance is thought to have originated between 1950’s and present time in the western culture.

John Cage and Merce Cunningham: Variations V (Excerpts)


Star Spotlight:

Merce Cunningham- a student of Martha Graham. A bold man whose curiosity and originality created the Merce Cunningham Dance Company to broadcast over 150 of his pieces internationally.

Born: Centralia, Washington on April 16,1919.

Died: July 26, 2009

Type of dance: Contemporary

Most famous work: Variations V (1965)

Other Works:

Occupation: Dancer, Choreographer

His life:
 Merce Cunningham was a visionary in the world of dance. He imaginatively thought of this aesthetic of dance that was so unpredictable, disordered, and just limitless in creative possibilities. Contemporary dance was first debuted in 1944 when he performed his first solo act. He later on in his life formed the Merce Cunningham Dance Company.
            This dance company was the beginning of a revolutionary change in dance to a one were there was no set technique that had to be followed. Is was created at the Black Mountain College and included many dancers and musicians such as, pioneer in indeterminacy music , John Cage. This dance company was all about change and differences in not only dance but in music; they commissioned more work from contemporary composers than any other dance company. This company continues to advance Cunningham’s idea of creativity in dance even after his death through the Cunningham Dance Foundation and the Merce Cunningham Trust.

Most famous work: Variations V (1965)


Other Works:
Suite for Five (1956–1958)
Rainforest (1968)
Sounddance (1975)
Ocean (1994)
BIPED (1999)
Nearly Ninety (2009)

Achievements:
1964-Medal of the Society for the Advancement of Dancing      
1984-Inducted as an Honorary Member into the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters
1988-Dance/USA National Honor
2002-Kitty Carlisle Hart Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts

Cited Sources:


Bedinghaus, Treva. "What is Contemporary Dance?." About.com. N.p.. Web. 18 Apr 2013. <http://dance.about.com/od/typesofdance/f/What-Is-Contemporary-Dance.htm>.

Pilar Naranjo Rico, Mairia del Pilar. "CONTEMPORARY DANCE HISTORY." Contemporary-dance. N.p.. Web. 18 Apr 2013. <http://www.contemporary-dance.org/contemporary-dance-history.html>.


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