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.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhK3Ep4HiI0]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXp7r96UTQ4]
Nichelle Suzanne is a writer specializing in dance and online content. She is also a dance instructor with over 20 years experience teaching in dance studios, community programs, and colleges. She began Dance Advantage in 2008, equipped with a passion for movement education and an intuitive sense that a blog could bring dancers together. As a Houston-based dance writer, Nichelle covers dance performance for Dance Source Houston, Arts+Culture Texas, and other publications. She is a leader in social media within the dance community and has presented on blogging for dance organizations, including Dance/USA. Nichelle provides web consulting and writing services for dancers, dance schools and studios, and those beyond the dance world. Read Nichelle’s posts.
