65 replies to this topic

[miliosr]

New Year's Eve 2011 is the finale:

http://artsbeat.blog...rce-cunningham/

[LiLing]

"The final New York performances will cost $10 a ticket, according to Cunningham’s wishes."

I find this very moving.  Thank you Merce.

[miliosr]

Two reviews of Lyon Opera Ballet's recent performances of Merce Cunningham's Beach Birds:

http://www.nytimes.c...n...llet&st=cse

http://www.observer....y-spring-season


The real test of Cunningham's repertory will occur not now . . . but 25 years from now.  How well will the works be performed then in the absence of a Cunningham company to perform them regularly and pass on their knowledge?

[dirac]

I thought it might be nice to have a new thread for performance reviews of the tour.  It's here.

[sandik]

dirac, on May 31 2010, 11:24 PM, said:

I thought it might be nice to have a new thread for performance reviews of the tour.  It's here.

Thanks for setting it up -- I keep thinking maybe I can get to California for a performance but it's not very likely.

[miliosr]

Robert Greskovic reports in The Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.co...yle_Lifestyle_5

Very uncritical article.  I think he needed to ask, "What happens when there are no longer Cunningham dancers, per se?  Will video be enough?"

[miliosr]

The New York Times continues its perpetual wake/Viking funeral for Merce Cunningham:

http://www.nytimes.c....html?ref=dance
http://www.nytimes.c....html?ref=music

And Dance Spirit discusses the four bedrock modern dance techniques:

http://www.dancespir...m/articles/2953

Let me ask again: How will the Cunningham technique survive when there is no longer a company producing dancers who can perpetuate it in the future???

[miliosr]

The ongoing wake for Merce Cunningham continues in the pages of the Times:

http://www.nytimes.c...&_r=1&ref=dance

[sandik]

miliosr, on 03 July 2011 - 04:42 AM, said:

The ongoing wake for Merce Cunningham continues in the pages of the Times:

http://www.nytimes.c...&_r=1&ref=dance

I'm fine with the ongoing discussion, especially since most of what I've read has addressed some of the difficult choices the community has been facing as they work out what the right thing to do might be, and then how to do it.  

Perhaps because I've been following along in the conversation about teaching dance history to young dancers (in the thread about Apollo's Angels) that I was re-struck by this comment, that we've heard over and over again from many different dance sources:

"“All the movements I give are from Merce’s classes, collected over the years,” he explained. “He’s not here, but he’s in the steps.” "

[Helene]

sandik, on 03 July 2011 - 11:27 AM, said:

Perhaps because I've been following along in the conversation about teaching dance history to young dancers (in the thread about Apollo's Angels) that I was re-struck by this comment, that we've heard over and over again from many different dance sources:

"“All the movements I give are from Merce’s classes, collected over the years,” he explained. “He’s not here, but he’s in the steps.” "

That's exactly what dancers said about Balanchine!

And what dancers Cunningham formed out of those classes and those steps

[sandik]

Helene, on 03 July 2011 - 11:45 AM, said:

That's exactly what dancers said about Balanchine!

And what dancers Cunningham formed out of those classes and those steps

Indeed, but it does make me wonder what would happen to the Cunningham rep if they were to follow the NYCB model of keeping the company doors open long past the death of the founder.

[Simon G]

sandik, on 03 July 2011 - 04:41 PM, said:

Helene, on 03 July 2011 - 11:45 AM, said:

That's exactly what dancers said about Balanchine!

And what dancers Cunningham formed out of those classes and those steps

Indeed, but it does make me wonder what would happen to the Cunningham rep if they were to follow the NYCB model of keeping the company doors open long past the death of the founder.

That's an easy one to answer, look to the remnants of the Martha Graham Company. That's where they'd be in five years tops.

[Kathleen O'Connell]

Simon G, on 04 July 2011 - 10:57 AM, said:

sandik, on 03 July 2011 - 04:41 PM, said:

Helene, on 03 July 2011 - 11:45 AM, said:

That's exactly what dancers said about Balanchine!

And what dancers Cunningham formed out of those classes and those steps

Indeed, but it does make me wonder what would happen to the Cunningham rep if they were to follow the NYCB model of keeping the company doors open long past the death of the founder.

That's an easy one to answer, look to the remnants of the Martha Graham Company. That's where they'd be in five years tops.

Well, not necessarily. The Graham company went through hell and back with the whole Protas debacle -- I'm not surprised that they didn't come through unscathed.

I'm afraid that a lot of the Cunningham rep will be lost forever without a company dedicated to its preservation. I was in tears when I saw them perform CRDSPCR at the Joyce knowing I'd probably never see that wonderful work ever again.

[kfw]

Kathleen O, on 04 July 2011 - 01:33 PM, said:

I'm afraid that a lot of the Cunningham rep will be lost forever without a company dedicated to its preservation. I was in tears when I saw them perform CRDSPCR at the Joyce knowing I'd probably never see that wonderful work ever again.

At least that one is recorded, although it's currently not for sale, and neither is Beach Birds. I don't know just how many dances Charles Atlas filmed before they couldn't afford him any more, but they must have scads of stuff in the vault. They'll be showing films of Duets and Squaregame at the Lincoln Center Festival's Merce Fair in a couple of weeks, and they showed more there in 2007. Pond Way is on Google video. I can only assume they'll start selling DVDs of these works eventually. That won't keep the company alive, but it will keep it in our minds as we watch dances we never saw live, or only dimly remember.

[sandik]

kfw, on 05 July 2011 - 06:31 AM, said:

I can only assume they'll start selling DVDs of these works eventually.

Your lips to the gods' ears.