Research Catalog

Details

Additional authors

1. Cunningham, Merce
2. Cage, John.
3. Caplan, Elliot.
4. Merce Cunningham Dance Company.
5. Black Mountain College (Black Mountain, N.C.)

Found in

1. Merce Cunningham archive.

Description

1. 43 linear feet (84 boxes)

Summary

1. The collection brings together material about the workings of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company.

Series statement

1. Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection

Subject

1. Dance companies > United States
2. Choreographers > United States > 20th century
3. Choreography > Study and teaching > United States > 20th century
4. Modern dance > United States > 20th century
5. Artistic collaboration

Genre/Form

1. Theater programs.
2. Photographs.
3. Clippings.
4. Correspondence.
5. Newsletters.
6. Brochures.
7. Contracts.

Call number

1. (S) *MGZMD 196

Source (note)

1. Jerome Robbins Dance Division

Biography (note)

1. Merce Cunningham is a choreographer.

Indexes/finding aids (note)

1. Collection guide available in repository and on internet.

Linking entry (note)

1. Forms part of the Merce Cunningham archive.

Author

1. Cunningham, Merce.

Title

1. The Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation, Inc. records, 1938-2003.

Series

1. Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Collection

Biography

1. Merce Cunningham is a choreographer. He started his career as a dancer with Martha Graham's company, and then left to start his own company. The company, which was created over 50 years ago, is still flourishing. Merce Cunningham was born in Centralia, Washington. He first started formal dance training at the Cornish Institute of Allied Arts in Seattle. From 1939 to 1945 he was a soloist in the Martha Graham Company. While performing with Martha Graham, Cunningham began to choreograph independently, and presented his first New York solo concert with John Cage in 1944. He continued to present annual concerts by himself or with an ad hoc group of dancers, until the formation of Merce Cunningham Dance Company at Black Mountain College in the summer of 1953. Since that time he has choreographed well over one hundred works for his Company. Cunningham has also choreographed two works for the New York City Ballet, and the Paris Opera Ballet. Throughout the years he has collaborated with many well-known people and organizations, including the Boston Ballet, the filmmaker Charles Atlas, and Elliot Caplan. The Merce Cunningham Dance Company was born in the summer of 1953. Cunningham took a group of dancers who had been working with him to Black Mountain College, the progressive liberal arts school in North Carolina. The group included Carolyn Brown, Remy Charlip, Viola Farber and Paul Taylor. John Cage was musical director and David Tudor the Company musician. Both men have continued to be associated with the Company. The Company has toured all over the world to great praise. Music and art have been an integral part of the choreography and the Company has worked with many world-renowned artists, including Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Mark Lancaster, Charles Atlas and Elliot Caplan.

Indexes

1. Collection guide available in repository and on internet.

Linking entry

1. Forms part of the Merce Cunningham archive.

Connect to:

1. Request Access to Special Collections (Dance Division) material
2. NYPL Digital Collections
3. Finding Aid

Occupation

1. Choreographers.
2. Dancers.

Added author

1. Cunningham, Merce, choreographer.
2. Cunningham, Merce, dancer.
3. Cage, John. Composer
4. Caplan, Elliot.
5. Merce Cunningham Dance Company.
6. Black Mountain College (Black Mountain, N.C.)

Found in:

1. Merce Cunningham archive.

Research call number

1. (S) *MGZMD 196