Choreography / 1957

Labyrinthian Dances

“Labyrinthian Dances” was a dance in four parts, with music by the Viennese composer Joseph Matthias Hauer. The title of the dance was taken from one of Hauer’s compositions for piano four hands. The subtitle of the dance, “area without exit,” referred to the spatial organization. “The dancers never left the stage, it was as though they were inside some kind of square,” Cunningham explained, “I liked the idea of an area that you can’t get out of, but it’s full of passage-ways, like a maze – there’s no escape, but you don’t really know that.” The dance was performed only six times.

Details

Premiere Date

Nov 30, 1957

Premiere Venue

Brooklyn Academy of Music

Premiere Location

Brooklyn, NY

Music

Josef Matthias Hauer, Zwolftonspiele Mai 55, Juli 52, Juli 56, and Labyrinthischer Tanz

Set

Robert Rauschenberg

Costumes

Robert Rauschenberg

Duration

Length unknown

Original Cast

Carolyn Brown

Remy Charlip

Merce Cunningham

Viola Farber

Bruce King

Marianne Preger-Simon

Other Choreography

Title
Duration
Year
Collaborator(s)
Suite by Chance
Duration: 22 - 24 minutes (est.)
Year: 1953
Collab.: Wolff, Charlip
Solo Suite in Space and Time
Duration: 15 minutes (est.)
Year: 1953
Collab.: Cage
Demonstration Piece
Duration: Length unknown
Year: 1953
Collab.:
Epilogue
Duration: Length unknown
Year: 1953
Collab.: Satie
Dime a Dance
Duration: Variable
Year: 1953
Collab.: Tudor, Charlip
Banjo
Duration: 3 minutes, 30 seconds (est.)
Year: 1953
Collab.: Gottschalk, Charlip
Untitled Solo
Duration: 7 minutes (est.)
Year: 1953
Collab.: Wolff
Septet
Duration: 16 minutes
Year: 1953
Collab.: Satie, Charlip