Merce Cunningham
Ranked 4th in the list of the best American dancers is Mercier Philip "Merce" Cunningham (April 16, 1919 – July 26, 2009). He was an American choreographer and performer who spent more than 50 years at the forefront of American modern dance. He worked with composers John Cage, David Tudor, and Brian Eno, as well as graphic artists Robert Rauschenberg, Bruce Nauman, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Frank Stella, and Jasper Johns, as well as fashion designer Rei Kawakubo. His collaborations with these artists had a significant impact on avant-garde art outside of the dance scene. Cunningham had a huge impact on modern dance as a choreographer, teacher, and founder of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company.
Many of the dancers who studied with Merce Cunningham went on to start their own groups. Paul Taylor, Remy Charlip, Viola Farber, Charles Moulton, Karole Armitage, Robert Kovich, Foofwa d'Imobilité, Kimberly Bartosik, Flo Ankah, Jan Van Dyke, Jonah Bokaer, and Alice Reyes are among those who have participated. The Legacy Plan, presented by the Cunningham Dance Foundation in 2009, is a plan for the continuance of Cunningham's work as well as the celebration and preservation of his artistic legacy. Cunningham was awarded the National Medal of Arts and the MacArthur Fellowship, two of the greatest honors in the arts. He also got the Praemium Imperiale from Japan and the Laurence Olivier Award from the United Kingdom, as well as being appointed Officier of the Légion d'honneur in France.
- Born: April 16, 1919Centralia, Washington, U.S.
- Died: July 26, 2009 (aged 90)New York City, New York, U.S.
- Known for: Dancer, choreographer
