Dance Essay: Merce Cunningham
Merce Cunningham was a dancer and choreographer known for his long time collaboration with composer John Cage. Cunningham is known as one of the most influential choreographers of the 20th century. He was among the first to challenge the conventions of the founding generation of modern dance. John Cage was an American Composer, music theorist and artist. He was one of the most influential American composers of the 20th century. These two influential men became partners and gave insight into the relationship between music and dance. Cunningham’s collaboration with Cage emerged after sharing several years of programs and making dance and music pieces. Both were satisfied with their results and continued to work …show more content…
Many music pieces especially hip hop have choreography that is made by the artist and then many follow this choreography or even put their own movements into play. A recent example of this is with a song called, “JuJu On That Beat” by Zayion McCall. Where both the dance style of hip hop and music were closely related. Without Cunninghams and Cages brilliant minds to spark the idea of dance and music being joined together there would have been a far later discovery of combining both of these arts. Since in the 20th century no one had the interest for sound and motion to intersect. One of John Cages works titled Variation V, was an “exploration of the possibilities of collaboration among music, dance, and technology” therefore made this piece of art “revolutionary” (Miller). In Variation V, Cunningham and Cage set up a new relationship between movement and sound while the dancers functioned as co-composers and the musicians operated the electronic equipment. Furthermore, this marked “the beginning of an enormous operation of interaction between creative artist and engineers” (Miller). That enormous operation is normal today since the sound environment is activated by dancers when they are ready to perform. Cage and Cunningham now had a better system of portraying sound and motion clearly for the audience and continued to grow as a
Merce Cunningham was a dancer and choreographer known for his long time collaboration with composer John Cage. Cunningham is known as one of the most influential choreographers of the 20th century. He was among the first to challenge the conventions of the founding generation of modern dance. John Cage was an American Composer, music theorist and artist. He was one of the most influential American composers of the 20th century. These two influential men became partners and gave insight into the relationship between music and dance. Cunningham’s collaboration with Cage emerged after sharing several years of programs and making dance and music pieces. Both were satisfied with their results and continued to work …show more content…
Many music pieces especially hip hop have choreography that is made by the artist and then many follow this choreography or even put their own movements into play. A recent example of this is with a song called, “JuJu On That Beat” by Zayion McCall. Where both the dance style of hip hop and music were closely related. Without Cunninghams and Cages brilliant minds to spark the idea of dance and music being joined together there would have been a far later discovery of combining both of these arts. Since in the 20th century no one had the interest for sound and motion to intersect. One of John Cages works titled Variation V, was an “exploration of the possibilities of collaboration among music, dance, and technology” therefore made this piece of art “revolutionary” (Miller). In Variation V, Cunningham and Cage set up a new relationship between movement and sound while the dancers functioned as co-composers and the musicians operated the electronic equipment. Furthermore, this marked “the beginning of an enormous operation of interaction between creative artist and engineers” (Miller). That enormous operation is normal today since the sound environment is activated by dancers when they are ready to perform. Cage and Cunningham now had a better system of portraying sound and motion clearly for the audience and continued to grow as a