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Cunningham joins Martha Grahm Company
Cunningham was studying acting at Cornish School in Seattle. He found acting to be limiting. During this time Graham saw him dance and invited him to join her company. -
Cunningham debuted solo work
Cunningham moved to New York and danced as a soloist for Graham's company for 6 years. John Cage composed his first solo work in 1944. -
Cunningham left Graham's Company
After 6 years of solo work with Graham's company, Cunningham decided to take off on his own track. He began teaching at Black Mountain College and collaborating with composer John Cage. -
Established Merce Cuningham Dance Company
While teaching at Black Mountain College, Cunningham established his own copany. -
Yvonne Rainer studies with Martha Graham
Rainer begins studying with Graham and later moved on to join the Cunningham company. -
Steve Paxton performs with Cunningham Co.
With an early background in gymnastics, Paxton joins the Cunningham company for 3 years performing works by Trisha Brown and Yvonne Rainer, and trains with Jose Limon for 1 year. -
Trisha Brown moves to New York
After being urged by fellow dancers, Yvonne Rainer and Simone Forti, Brown moves to New York and takes classes taught by Robert Dunn who taught a class at the Cunnngham Co. based on John Cage's ideas. -
Judson Church Dance Theatre Begins
Rainer and fellow dancers approached reverend Al Carmines to ask if they could begin performing at the Judson Memorial Church. From 1962-1964 a collective group of dancers, composers, and vsual artists, performed experimentalist works that rejected the confines of traditional Modern dance. -
Trishsha Brown Dance Company is established
Brown cofounds the group Grand Union with Paxton and forms the Trisha Brown Dance Company. -
Steve Paxton creates contact imrov.
Paxton founds the experimental group Grand Union and begins to develop contact improvisation as a new dance form. -
Yvonne Rainer begins dance films
Rainer begins focusing on medium and full length dance films with themes such as feminism, terrorism, social exclusion. and illness. -
Merce Cunningham passes away
From natural causes Cunningham passes away.
