As part of the Life/Art exhibition, the Yaffo 23 gallery operated a multimedia "information and inspiration center" devoted to the life and work of Merce Cunningham, the dance company's legendary choreographer.

The center was stocked with books, video and music about Cunningham and his influences. It also hosted lectures, music performances, encounters with dancers from the company, and a computer/dance workshop that drew their inspiration from Merce's broad cultural and artistic legacy. These activities preceded the company's repertoire performance at Jerusalem's Sherover Theatre and its series of five museum Events at the Israel Museum. 

Planning for the Future: The Next Steps

The Legacy Plan

Wednesday June 1 at 7:00 PM

Trevor Carlson, Executive Director, Merce Cunningham Dance Company

Naomi Bloch Fortis, Co-Director, Jerusalem Season of Culture; former Executive Director and Co-Artistic Director, Batsheva Dance Company

How do you immortalize dance? How do you document choreography? If dance is the art of movement in time, then why freeze it? What are the components of dance, and what happens after death?

The Cunningham Dance Foundation's Legacy Plan is a comprehensive roadmap for the future of the Cunningham Dance Foundation. The precedent-setting plan represents Cunningham’s vision for the transitioning of his Company following his death and the preservation of his life’s work.

The Legacy Plan offers audiences the opportunity to celebrate Cunningham’s work through the final, two-year Legacy Tour; preserve his creations for future generations in digital form by creating dynamic “Dance Capsules”; provide the company's dancers, musicians and staff with compensation and resources for career transition upon closure of the troupe; and the formal transition of all assets to Merce Cunningham Trust.  Trevor Carlson, who led this initiative, discussed the details and implications of the Legacy Plan in conversation with Naomi Bloch Fortis.

How to Watch a Merce Cunningham Concert?

Eight entry points and three exit strategies

Thursday, June 2, 7:00 PM

Bonnie Brooks, Dance Department Chair, Columbia College, Chicago; former President and Executive Director, Dance/USA

Four days before the company's opening performance in Jerusalem, the writer, producer and dance advocate presented the core concepts of the Cunningham aesthetic in an informal lecture/demonstration.

Dance Forms

Friday, June 3, 10:00-2:00 PM

Under the Tutelage of Trevor Carlson

A hands-on workshop that familiarized participants with the unique dance animation software, DanceForms, which Cunningham used as a choreographic tool since 1991.

Trevor Carlson, graduate of the Dance Program at the Julliard School, led participants in an exploration of Cunningham’s techniques and allowed students to create their own dance ‘Events’ using fellow students. Acting as both choreographers and dancers, the participants observed the creative process from the perspective of both choreographers and performers.

Please register in advance right here.

The workshop requires computer knowledge and comfortable clothes.

MerceCampus / Music

Saturday, June 4

Curated by Ilan Volkov

Films on Merce Cunningham and musicians with whom he collaborated: John Cage, David Tudor, Takehisa Kosugi.

Music Performances

Yossi Mar-Haim – a musical lecture-performance  dedicated to Cage/Cunningham.

Performance of 5 John Cage pieces:

Imaginary Landscape No. 4  (For 12 Radio Receivers and 24 Players)

Child of Tree (Alex Drool) – a work for Cacti

One (Ram Gabay)

Suite for toy piano

Six – a work for percussion instruments

Solo set by Jesse Stiles, a musician of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company

Art and Dance

Sunday, June 5 at 7.00 PM

A conversation with members of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company

A discussion on Merce Cunningham's artistic collaborations with John Cage, Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Nam June Paik, Radiohead and Sigur Rós in music, video, art objects and stage sets.

Also discussed was the question of choreography in an art space and Merce Cunningham's Events. Is a gallery a stage? Is a stage a gallery? How do art objects influence the movement of people? What is the difference between artistic collaboration and simultaneous artworks? What can art do to dance and what can dance do to art?

Cunningham: Past, Present and Future

Monday, June 6, 7:00 PM

Trevor Carlson, Executive Director, Merce Cunningham Dance Company

Just two hours before Merce Cunningham Dance Company performed for the first time in Israel, audiences had a chance to speak about Merce with the company's executive director. The talk ended just in time to get to the Jerusalem Theatre for the performance.