Research Catalog

Details

Additional authors

1. Paxton, Steve.
2. Myers, Martha.
3. Myers, Gerald.
4. Rosenberg, Douglas.
5. Reinhart, Charles.
6. Reinhart, Stephanie.
7. American Dance Festival.
8. American Dance Festival Video (Firm)

Description

1. 1 videocassette (78 min.) : sd., col. NTSC; 1/2 in. (VHS)

Summary

1. Steve Paxton recalls beginning his long career in dance in Arizona, following his training in gymnastics. He describes the predominant novelistic and literary bias of modern dance (exemplified by the works of Martha Graham) during his early years of study at Connecticut College, and the contrasting painterly/scientific stage vision of Alwin Nikolais. Turning to the subject of Merce Cunningham, in whose company he danced, he discusses the ramifications of Cunningham's use of chance procedures ; and describes the vicissitudes of touring with Cunningham's company, which included composer John Cage and artist Robert Rauschenberg. Providing a dancer's view of performing Cunningham's choreography, he contrasts it with contact improvisation and the work of Cunningham's contemporaries Graham, Helen Tamiris, and José Limón. He discusses his participation in Robert Ellis Dunn's dance workshop and its outgrowth, Judson Dance Theater, and recalls the artistic ferment of the times. He discusses contact improvisation, which he began to teach at Bennington College and introduced to New York City in 1972. Other topics include his attraction to the Japanese martial art of aikido ; making a living in dance ; the longevity of modern dancers as performers ; modern dance as an antidote to traditional western attitudes towards the body.

Series statement

1. Speaking of dance

Alternative title

1. Steve Paxton

Subject

1. Paxton, Steve
2. Graham, Martha
3. Nikolais, Alwin
4. Cunningham, Merce
5. Cage, John
6. Rauschenberg, Robert, 1925-2008
7. Dunn, Robert Ellis
8. Merce Cunningham Dance Company
9. Judson Dance Theater
10. Dancers > United States > Interviews
11. Choreographers > United States > Interviews
12. Contact improvisation

Genre/Form

1. Dance.
2. Interviews.
3. Video.

Call number

1. *MGZIA 4-5896

Note

1. Series subtitle: Conversations with contemporary masters of American modern dance.

Credits (note)

1. Executive producers, Charles Reinhart and Stephanie Reinhart, American Dance Festival.

Performer (note)

1. Interviewers: Martha Myers, Dr. Gerald Myers.

Title

1. Speaking of dance. Steve Paxton [videorecording] / presented by the American Dance Festival ; directed and produced by Douglas Rosenberg.

Imprint

1. Oregon, Wis. : American Dance Festival Video, c1996.

Country of producing entity

1. U.S.

Series

1. Speaking of dance

Credits

1. Executive producers, Charles Reinhart and Stephanie Reinhart, American Dance Festival.

Performer

1. Interviewers: Martha Myers, Dr. Gerald Myers.

Added author

1. Paxton, Steve. Interviewee
2. Myers, Martha. Interviewer
3. Myers, Gerald. Interviewer
4. Rosenberg, Douglas. Producer. Director
5. Reinhart, Charles. Producer
6. Reinhart, Stephanie. Producer
7. American Dance Festival.
8. American Dance Festival Video (Firm)

Research call number

1. *MGZIA 4-5896