Merce Cunningham biography

Profile

Merce Cunningham was born on April 16, 1919 in Centralia, Washington. He joined Martha Graham's Dance company and--as a choreographer--began his long collaboration with composer John Cage. In 1953 Cunningham formed his own company and was the first to dance to an electronic score. Cunningham stopped performing after Cage's death in 1992, but continued to lead his company. He died in 2009.