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.

Originally posted July 29, 2009

Nichelle Strzepek is the writer/editor of Dance Advantage. Equipped with little more than passion for movement education, she embraced her inner computer nerd and began this blog in 2008. She holds a BA in dance and is an instructor with over 16 years experience. Nichelle 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.

Nichelle has written 309 articles for Dance Advantage.