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Merce Cunningham 1919 - 2009
Date: 09 Aug 2009
Merce Cunningham died at his home in New York City on July 26, 2009, at the age of 90. He was one of the most important modern dance choreographers of the 20th century. Born near Seattle in 1919, his career spanned the postwar era: He made his first dance in 1944 and directed his own troupe, The Merce Cunningham Dance Company, for over 50 years from 1953 until his death last week. He created over 200 dances for his company, many of which are now performed by companies worldwide; he also mounted works on the New York City Ballet and the Paris Opera Ballet. Over the years, Cunningham worked with an impressive range of contemporary artists and composers, from John Cage and David Tudor to Radiohead and (most recently) Sonic Youth; from Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, and Andy Warhol to Frank Stella.
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