ABSTRACT
Over the years, Merce Cunningham has confounded the efforts of dance historians and theoreticians who attempt to classify and define his work. Because of the innovative nature of his choreography, some wrongly assume the dances have no meaning beyond fleeting impressions derived from the collage-like effect of visual and aural stimuli. This paper takes the position that the dances do, in fact, have profound meaning, based on a comparison between Cunningham's aesthetic and the attitude toward meaning found in the Zen Arts.
Cunningham's use of chance procedures in his choreographic process, and his independent collaborations with other artists in the design and musical accompaniment, are essential elements of his work which emphasize the spiritual as opposed to the personal in his art. By showing the many similarities between the Zen aesthetic and Cunningham's, this paper demonstrates the metaphysical meaning of his work — meaning resplendent with significance and profundity.
