Merce Cunningham Trust

May News

Melissa Toogood in Merce Cunningham's Quartet (1982). Photograph by Stephanie Berger, 2011. 

Melissa Toogood (MCDC 2008-2011) has been named the new Dean and Director of the Dance Division at the Juilliard School. We extend a heartfelt congratulations to Melissa and wish her much success in this new position. A link to Juilliard's press release can be found HERE.

Upcoming Live Events

Trisha Brown Dance Company performs Travelogue (1977) as part of Dancing with Bob: Rauschenberg, Brown, and Cunningham Staged by Marcie Munnerlyn (MCDC 2004-2011) and Andrea Weber (MCDC 2004-2011) June 12-13, 2025; Durham, NC Click here for more information

In Conversation with Merce: New Arrangments Beach Birds/Signals/XOVER/Suite for Two Staged by Brandon Collwes (MCDC 2005-2011), Jean Freebury (MCDC 1992-2003), Patricia Lent (MCDC 1984-1993), Rashaun Mitchell (MCDC 2004-2011), and Andrea Weber June 18, 2025; New York, NY Click here for more information

Wiener Staatsballett performs Summerspace Staged by Ashley Chen (MCDC 2000-2003) and Cheryl Therrien (MCDC 1993-2003) April 9, 2025 - June 10, 2025; Vienna, Austria Click here for more information

Gärtnerplatztheater Ballet performs How to Pass, Kick, Fall and Run and Museum Brandhorst Event Staged by Daniel Squire (MCDC 1998-2009) April 10, 2025 - May 28, 2025; Munich, Germany Click here for more information

Museum Brandhorst Five Friends: John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Cy Twombly Museum Exhibit April 10, 2025 - May 28, 2025; Munich, Germany Click here for more information

Honoring Carolyn Brown Workshop

Summer Workshop Audition

Educational Activities 

Silas Riener (MCDC 2007-2011) and Patricia Lent (MCDC 1984-1993) will teach a two-week Cunningham workshop for the rising college seniors at New World School of the Arts in Miami.  Riener will teach technique and repertory (May 12-16) and Lent will teach technique and chance operations (May 19-23).  This project builds on previous Cunningham stagings, workshops, and master classes for NWSA dating back to 2001.

Melissa Toogood (MCDC 2008-2011) will teach a Cunningham Technique and Repertory workshop for the Sydney Dance Company’s Pre-Professional Year Program from May 19-23.  Toogood, who has worked with the Pre-Professional Year dancers multiple times, will teach excerpts from the 1970 dance Signals.

Brandon Collwes (MCDC 2005-2011) will teach Cunningham Technique and Repertory at American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina this summer, from June 12-July 12.  Read more about the festival here. Click here for more information

Jennifer Goggans (MCDC 2000-2011) will teach Cunningham Technique and Repertory at the Accademia Nazionale di Danza in Rome, Italy from June 19-July 6.  Goggans will teach excerpts from Beach Birds for performances on July 7, 8 & 9.  This project is the latest in a series of workshops and stagings at the Accademia beginning in 2014.