Cunningham created Sounddance upon his return from spending nine weeks at the Paris Opera (building Un Jour ou Deux). In direct opposition to the rigidity of the classical dancers in Paris, Cunningham wanted to choreograph a fast and vigorous piece. The foot and torso movements in Sounddance were so complex, that it was as if the dancers were performing under a microscope. The entrances and exits took place through a tent-like opening upstage, and as the finale concluded, the dancers were swept back into it, as though they were being sucked into a wind tunnel. David Tudor’s powerful score for Sounddance provided an energetic accompaniment to Cunningham’s fast pace choreography. Mark Lancaster designed the costumes, which were light yellow and gray, and the opening contraption at the back of the stage was sand colored.