Merce Cunningham, who’s career as a choreographer spanned some 60 years, has died at the age of 90. Representatives from the Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation said he passed away peacefully Sunday night.
Merce Cunningham, born April 16, 1919 was considered to be one the most influential choreographers of the 20th century. He led the American avant-garde style of dance for over 50 years. Cunningham was also considered to be one of the greatest American dancers in history and as a constant collaborator who influenced artists across many disciplines – including musicians John Cage and David Tudor, artists Robert Rauschenberg and Bruce Nauman, designer Romeo Gigli, and architect Benedetta Tagliabue – Cunningham’s impact extends past the dance world to the arts as a whole.
Merce Cunningham won many awards during his career including the National Medal of Arts, the MacArthur Fellowship, Japan’s Praemium Imperiale and the British Laurence Olivier Award. He was also named Officier of the Legion d’Honneur in France.
