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Creator
Cunningham, Merce
Call number
(S) *MGZMD 196
Physical description
43 linear feet (84 boxes)
Language
English
Preferred Citation
The Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation, Inc. records, (S) *MGZMD 196. Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
Repository
Jerome Robbins Dance Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.
Portions of this collection have been digitized and are available online.

Merce Cunningham (1919-2009) was a choreographer. He started his career as a dancer with Martha Graham's company, and then left to start his own company. The company, which was created over 60 years ago, is now closed. The collection brings together material about the workings of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. The papers contain financial materials, grant applications, correspondence, administrative material, programs, photographs and production notes. There is no personal material.

Biographical/historical information

Merce Cunningham was born in Centralia, Washington. He first started formal dance training at the Cornish Institute of Allied Arts in Seattle. From 1939 to 1945 he was a soloist in the Martha Graham Company. While performing with Martha Graham, Cunningham began to choreograph independently, and presented his first New York solo concert with John Cage in 1944. He continued to present annual concerts by himself or with an ad hoc group of dancers, until the formation of Merce Cunningham Dance Company at Black Mountain College in the summer of 1953. Since that time he has choreographed well over one hundred works for his Company.

Cunningham has also choreographed two works for the New York City Ballet, and the Paris Opera Ballet. Throughout the years he has collaborated with many well-known people and organizations, including the Boston Ballet, the filmmaker Charles Atlas, and Elliot Caplan.

The Merce Cunningham Dance Company was born in the summer of 1953. Cunningham took a group of dancers who had been working with him to Black Mountain College, the progressive liberal arts school in North Carolina. The group included Carolyn Brown, Remy Charlip, Viola Farber and Paul Taylor. John Cage was musical director and David Tudor the Company musician. Both men have continued to be associated with the Company.

The Company has toured all over the world to great praise. Music and art have been an integral part of the choreography and the Company has worked with many world-renowned artists, including Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Mark Lancaster, Charles Atlas and Elliot Caplan.

Scope and arrangement

The collection consists of material created and used in the operation of the Cunningham Dance Foundation, Inc. the organization that houses the Merce Cunningham Dance Company.

There is material related to company touring and seasons in New York, especially administrative material used in the planning of dance tours and dance seasons. There is research material that was used in locating and acquiring grant funding. Also included are photographs of dance performances, some dating back to the 1930's. In addition there is an extensive collection of programs. These programs begin in the 1930's and continue through 2003.

There is no personal material in the collection.

The The Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation, Inc. records are arranged in seven series:

  • Series I: General Office Files
    1953 - 2001

    This series consists of office materials, including are schedules, forms, advertising, press releases, job descriptions, public relations materials from other organizations, newsletters, and materials from conferences attended. Also included is correspondence, film/video material, invitations, audience research, the Kennedy Center Honors and other awards.

  • Series II: Repertory production notes
    1953 - 1997

    This series consists of Production notes of dances performed by Merce Cunningham and the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. There are staging, lighting, costuming and musical notes pertinent to each dance. These notes were used in dance seasons, dance tours, and when other dance companies rented the dances.

  • Series III: Tours and Seasons
    1953 - 2002

    This series consists of material used in organizing tours, both domestic and foreign, as well as dance seasons in New York City. Some of the information about tours, includes, transportation and lodging research, schedules and correspondence with contacts at various venues. Of significance are production notes for many of the dances created and performed by Merce Cunningham and the Merce Cunningham dancers.

  • Series IV: Development and Fundraisers
    1963 - 2001

    This series contains material that was used in finding and applying for grant funding. Included are applications and other forms. There is also research material used in fundraising, including art sales, benefits and pledge drives.

  • Series V: Photographs
    1939 - 2003

    This series contains photographs of Merce Cunningham, mostly backstage, during rehearsal and at awards ceremonies. Also included in this section are a number of photographs of John Cage by myself and with Merce Cunningham. The last section of the series is photographs of many of the dances performed by Merce Cunningham and his company dancers. The majority are black and white.

  • Series VI: Programs
    1930 - 2003

    This series contains programs. The early programs are of dances performed by Merce Cunningham in his years with Martha Graham. Then there are programs of the beginnings of the Cunningham Dance Company as well as later dance seasons. The last programs are of the established Company. The early programs often list of dances and dancers on paper. The later programs are multi-colored and professionally produced. There are programs from other dance company performances dispersed throughout.

  • Series VII: Oversized Material
    1938 - 2000

    This series contains oversized photographs and programs. The photographs are listed by photographer. The programs are listed by year.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

The Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Inc. Records were purchased by the Jerome Robbins Dance Division in 2001.

Processing information

Processed by Leslie Reyman; Machine-readable finding aid created by Leslie Reyman.

Related Material

Merce Cunningham archive

Using the collection

Location

Jerome Robbins Dance Division
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498
Third Floor

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Jerome Robbins Dance Division.