Media / 1970

Tread

"Tread", from 1970, is one of Cunningham’s lighter works, described by Patrick O’Connor as a “sometimes hilarious and always good-humored piece” in which “the dancers get into some extraordinarily complicated physical entanglements.” Don McDonagh described a rehearsal as follows: “it begins quietly, with the company seated, and then works up to a humorous set of catches, lifts, and fast exits and entrances which resemble a French bedroom farce. At the finish, the work returns to its original, tranquil state.” Jasper Johns invited Bruce Nauman to design the décor for "Tread", which consists of ten large industrial fans aligned in a row across the front of the stage, alternately stationary and turning from side to side, and blowing out into the audience. Cunningham designed the costumes, and the music is by Christian Wolff.

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Details

Video Type

Performance

Dances

Tread

Length

20 minutes

Director

Richard Leacock

Producer

Pennebaker/Leacock

COLOR/BW

Music

For 1,2 or 3 people, Christian Wolff

Dancers

Merce Cunningham, Carolyn Brown, Valda Setterfield, Jeff Slayton, Mel Wong, Susana Hayman-Chaffey, Meg Harper, Chase Robinson, Sandra Neels, Douglas Dunn