Merce Cunningham

Merce Cunningham (born April 16, 1919, Centralia, Washington, USA - died July 26, 2009, New York City, New York, USA) was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of the American modern dance for more than 50 years. He met John Cage at the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle during the 1930's, who became his life partner and frequent collaborator until Cage's death in 1992. John Cage was the original musical director for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, and was later succeeded by David Tudor and Takehisa Kosugi. In the last four decades and some, Cunningham has also commissioned and used music by Christian Wolff, Toshi Ichiyanagi, David Behrman, Gordon Mumma, Maryanne Amacher, Larry Austin, Stuart Dempster, Brian Eno, Gavin Bryars, Trimpin, and many others.