Merce Cunningham

American dancer and choreographer (1919-2009) · United States · On the map · Died at 90

Merce Philip Cunningham was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of American modern dance for more than 50 years.

Merce Cunningham is read about 230 times a day, in 29 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 6 November 2026

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A life in dates

2009Died26 July 20092005Praemium ImperialeAward2004Officer of the Legion of HonourAward2001Medal of the City of ParisAward2000The Dorothy and Lillian Gish PrizeAward1999Isadora Duncan Dance AwardsAward1997Sacem AwardsAward1995Golden Lion for Lifetime AchievementAward1993Bessie AwardsAward1990National Medal of ArtsAward1985Kennedy Center HonorsAwardLaurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance ProductionAwardMacArthur Fellows ProgramAward1959Guggenheim FellowshipAward1954Guggenheim FellowshipAward1919Born16 April 1919

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Merce Cunningham

Still frame from Loops, a digital art collaboration with Cunningham and The OpenEnded Group that interprets Cunningham's motion-captured dance for the hands.

Awards

Praemium Imperiale2005

Officer of the Legion of Honour2004

Edward MacDowell Medal2003

Medal of the City of Paris2001

The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize2000

Handel Medallion1999

Isadora Duncan Dance Awards1999

Sacem Awards1997

Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement1995

Bessie Awards1993

National Medal of Arts1990

Knight of the Legion of Honour1989

MacArthur Fellows Program1985

Kennedy Center Honors1985

Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production1985

Capezio Dance Award1977

Guggenheim Fellowship1959

Guggenheim Fellowship1954

Library of Congress Living Legend

National Dance Awards

About this person

He frequently collaborated with artists of other disciplines, including musicians John Cage, David Tudor, Brian Eno, and graphic artists Robert Rauschenberg, Bruce Nauman, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Frank Stella, and Jasper Johns; and fashion designer Rei Kawakubo. Works that he produced with these artists had a profound impact on avant-garde art beyond the world of dance.

Country

United States

Type

Other

Status

Deceased

Dates

Lived 1919 to 2009 · aged 90