Overview

Dancing with Merce Cunningham is a buoyant, captivating memoir of a talented dancer’s lifelong friendship with one of the choreographic geniuses of our time. Marianne Preger-Simon’s story begins amid the explosion of artistic creativity that followed World War II. While immersed in the vibrant arts scene of postwar Paris during a college year abroad, Preger-Simon was so struck by the unconventional dance style of choreographer Merce Cunningham that she joined his classes in New York. She soon became an important member of his brand new dance troupe - and a constant friend. Through her experiences in the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Preger-Simon offers a rare account of exactly how Cunningham taught and interacted with his students. She describes the puzzled reactions of audiences to the novel non-narrative choreography of the company’s debut performances. She also portrays the relationships among the company’s dancers, designers, and musicians, many of whom - including John Cage, David Tudor, and Carolyn Brown -  would become integral to the avant-garde arts movement, telling tales of their adventures and conversations touring in a VW Microbus across the United States. Finally, reflecting on her connection with Cunningham throughout the latter part of his career, Preger-Simon recalls warm moments that continued to characterize their enduring friendship. Her memoir is an intimate look at the early years of one of the most influential companies in modern American dance and the brilliance of its visionary leader.

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9780813064857

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Reviews

In her insightful debut, former dancer Preger-Simon, a close friend and contemporary of the late choreographer Merce Cunningham (1919-2009), gives readers an unparalleled view of a modern dance genius. Preger-Simon met Cunningham in Paris during a college year abroad in 1949, and was inspired to join Cunningham's eponymous dance troupe, following him to New York City along with fellow dancers Carolyn Brown and Karen Kanner and composer John Cage, Cunningham's romantic partner. 'Many of us dancers were somewhat in love with him, ' Preger-Simon writes, 'having little comprehension of homosexuality.' While Cunningham is celebrated as a dance genius today, his early days were lean, and Preger-Simon writes of her well-off father treating Cunningham and Preger-Simon to fine meals ('It was such a pleasure to be able to give him something, in exchange for all he gave us'). Preger-Simon also reminisces about the troupe's early days, remembering such budget outings as a 22-hour bus trip to Asheville, N.C., in 1953. One of Cunningham's oft-repeated sayings to Preger-Simon was 'The only way to do it is to do it'--a philosophy by which the author has since lived her life. While Preger-Simon officially left the troupe in 1958 to have a baby, her friendship with Cunningham remained tight until his death in 2009. This slim volume is a sweet treat for dance and theater aficionados, as well as anyone interested in the arts. --Publishers Weekly

“[Preger-Simon’s] gossamer light memoir is about a season of calm weather, unbuffeted by worldly success. . . . She often reprints letters she wrote to friends or family—so the book can sometimes have the tenor of a cheery postcard even as she is taking part in historic events.” —New York Times Book Review “[An] affecting new memoir.”—New York Review of Books

[Preger-Simon's] gossamer light memoir is about a season of calm weather, unbuffeted by worldly success. . . . She often reprints letters she wrote to friends or family-so the book can sometimes have the tenor of a cheery postcard even as she is taking part in historic events. -New York Times Book Review

Author Information

Marianne Preger-Simon danced with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company in its founding years, from 1950 until 1958. She remained friends with Merce Cunningham until his death in 2009.

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