10.1 Merce Cunningham and Chance Choreography

Merce Cunningham revolutionized dance by using chance procedures and avant-garde collaborations. He tossed coins, rolled dice, and consulted the I Ching to make choreographic choices, creating unique, unrepeatable works. His partnerships with John Cage, Robert Rauschenberg, and Jasper Johns pushed artistic boundaries.

Cunningham's legacy challenged traditional dance composition by rejecting narrative and emotional expression. He decentralized stage space, embraced technology, and developed a distinctive technique. His approach emphasized spine-initiated movements, isolation of body parts, and complex rhythmic structures, demanding high technical proficiency from dancers.

Merce Cunningham's Choreographic Approach

Chance procedures in choreography

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• Employed various methods such as coin tosses, dice rolls, and consulting the I Ching to make choreographic decisions determining elements like movement sequence, timing, spacing, and dancer placement
• Embraced the unpredictability and randomness inherent in the creative process by allowing chance to dictate key aspects of the choreography
• Created works that were unique and unrepeatable, as the specific combination of elements would vary from performance to performance

Impact of avant-garde collaborations

• John Cage, Cunningham's long-term collaborative partner and life partner, pioneered indeterminate music composition which influenced Cunningham's adoption of chance procedures in choreography
• Robert Rauschenberg, a visual artist, designed sets and costumes for Cunningham's works using unconventional materials and found objects to create visually striking and innovative stage environments
• Jasper Johns, another visual artist, designed sets and costumes for Cunningham's works incorporating elements of his iconic pop art style and contributing to the multidisciplinary nature of Cunningham's performances

Cunningham's Legacy in Dance

Challenging traditional dance composition

• Rejected narrative and emotional expression in favor of focusing on pure movement appreciated for its inherent qualities rather than storytelling or conveying specific emotions
• Decentralized the stage space by eliminating the traditional hierarchy of stage positions, allowing dancers to face any direction and perform in any part of the stage, encouraging audience members to have their own unique viewing experience
• Embraced technology by incorporating film, video, and computer-generated imagery into performances, collaborating with artists and technologists to create innovative stage designs, and pioneering the use of motion capture technology in dance

Characteristics of Cunningham technique

• Emphasized movements initiated from the spine and radiating outward, keeping the torso erect and stable while limbs moved independently
• Focused on moving specific body parts in isolation to create complex, layered, and polyphonic movement sequences
• Incorporated chance-determined sequences of movements resulting in unexpected and non-linear combinations of steps
• Demanded a high level of technical proficiency from dancers, emphasizing clean lines, precise angles, and clear spatial intentions
• Explored a wide range of rhythmic possibilities using irregular and complex rhythmic structures, often having dancers perform movement phrases in counterpoint to the music