We were deeply saddened to hear that Marianne Preger-Simon passed away recently.
Marianne Preger and Merce Cunningham met in Paris in 1949, after a solo show of his own choreography accompanied by John Cage. Immensely inspired, Marianne waited patiently for Cunningham after the show, expressed her admiration, and also encouraged him to begin teaching classes when he returned to New York City. Merce took her advice, but upon entering the room to teach his first official class, he found Marianne in the studio, alone. She was his one and only student on that first day, and later was in the first Cunningham company. Not only did she originate roles in such classic works as Septet (1953), Suite for Five (1956), and Nocturnes (1956), but she also shared her experiences, expertise, and marvelous stories with succeeding generations of Cunningham dancers. She was a much loved member of the Cunningham family. Marianne wrote a lovely memoir in 2019 titled Dancing with Merce Cunningham.
We send our deepest condolences and thoughts to Marianne's family in this sad time.
November was a busy month, with activity in and outside of New York. Ballet de Lorraine presented its terrific production of CRWDSPCR (1993) in several cities in France. These are some of the final performances under the leadership of Petter Jacobsson with Thomas Caley (MCDC 1993-2000), who have been regular supporters of the Cunningham legacy. We thank them and wish them both well in their future endeavors.
Kimberly Bartosik (MCDC 1987-96) led an intensive workshop with the Oakland-based physically-integrated Axis Dance Company. In London, Daniel Squire (MCDC 1998-2009) introduced Cunningham repertory and chance procedures to a group of UK dancers in a two-week intensive workshop. Here in New York, Lisa Boudreau (MCDC 1994-2008) set a MinEvent on the Barnard College dancers. And just before Thanksgiving, continuing our monthly introductory workshop series, Carol Teitelbaum (MCDC 1986-93) led a one-day workshop focused on material from Grange Eve (1986) to New York dancers. These workshops are very successful and bring dancers who have never worked with Cunningham material into the fold of the Trust's community.
After eight years as executive director I am stepping down at the end of December and this will be my last newsletter. It has been a true honor to shepherd, along with the Trustees and staff, Merce Cunningham’s legacy. During this time, we have accomplished a lot, including celebrating Merce’s Centennial, developing outreach to broader cohorts of practitioners and public, and creating tools that will help keep the legacy relevant and alive. I have been blessed with the complete trust and support of the Trustees and with a collaborative, dedicated and wonderful staff. I could not have enjoyed whatever success I had without their efforts. Finally, my thanks to all of you for your continued support and interest in the legacy.
Our work, maintaining and sharing Merce’s unique artistry, has allowed us to extend its lifespan into the future.
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Have a wonderful holiday season.
Ken Tabachnick