The Best of the Rest

Rather than being referred to as avant-garde, Merce Cunningham (1919-2009) preferred to be simply a dancer. The influential dancer and choreographer saw dance simply as a matter of “people moving around in various ways.” He also felt it should not be burdened by meaning, but that interpretation should be left to the viewer. This restraint contrasted sharply with Cunningham’s inexhaustible energy for exploration that accompanied him throughout his 70-year-long career. He merged elements of classical and modern dance, and because he thought any movement of the human body could be incorporated into dance, he believed that anyone could be a dancer. The documentary inventively intersperses Cunningham’s radical views and intense curiosity with words and images. The monologues and interviews with Cunningham and his collaborators are accompanied by an eclectic montage of archival footage and dance excerpts, made all the more surprising by 3D technology. There are also frequent appearances by composer John Cage, in whom Cunningham found not only a professional soulmate, but also the love of his life.