Remembering Merce

I am currently on the road with my family but wanted to take a moment an recognize the passing of modern dance icon, Merce Cunningham. I had the opportunity in college to observe Merce in action with his company of dancers during a company class several years ago. At probably about 80 years old, he had difficulty walking and would instruct the dancers from a chair, indicating movements and instruction with his hands and only a few words. It was fascinating, as were his methods of creating dances. These videos are retrospectives of his life and work. If you are not familiar with modern dance or its history, I recommend a look at Merce’s body of work and methods of working. It may seem far removed from most of the dance-making done in dance studios but his contribution to the art of dance and dance technology has been great.

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About Nichelle (admin)

Nichelle Strzepek began Dance Advantage in 2008, equipped with little more than passion for movement education, curiosity, and an intuitive sense that the Internet could bring dancers together. She has written about 100,000 words on dance and dance training each year of its existence. Nichelle holds a BA in dance and is an instructor with more than 16 years experience. She continues to perform as a contemporary dance artist, covers dance in the Houston area as a freelance writer and critic, and balances daily life as a full-time mom of two young children.

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