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John Cage and Dance

John Cage, one of the most influential composers of the 20th century, shaped the avant garde music scene by introducing chance elements, performer preferences, and non-traditional instrumentation. His works are just as essential in the history of dance, where his collaborations with choreographers (including his life partner Merce Cunningham) became the accompaniment that strongly informed an era of experimentation.

Deering Library houses the John Cage Collection, which includes correspondence, scores, and other ephemera that chronicle the composer’s professional and personal life. In honor of the Dance Studies Association conference held on campus from August 8-11, 2019, this exhibition draws on Cage’s collection to explore his creative collaborations with choreographers, and his impact on the history of dance.

Exhibit logo, Sound & Silence: John Cage Composing Himself, NU Libraries, 2012

Cage and Northwestern

An overview on John Cage, his music, and Northwestern Music Library’s Cage collections.

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Marie Marchowsky clipping, New York Times, April 8, 1946

Cage and Contemporary Choreographers

Cage’s collaborations with and influence on other choreographers

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John Cage and Merce Cunningham, approximately 1945

Cage and Cunningham

Cage and Cunningham: Their life and work

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See the Exhibit

Curated by Performance Studies doctoral student Danielle Ross, Archival Processing specialist Jill Waycie, and Music Library curator Greg MacAyeal, the physical component of this exhibit will be on display on the 3rd floor of Deering Library from August 8-August 11, 2019.

Acknowledgments

We gratefully thank the following colleagues for their help and support with this project: Susan Manning, Professor of English and Theatre; the Dance Studies Association (DSA); Drew Scott for editing, design, and guidance; Amanda Good for her design work for the physical exhibit; Carlynne Robinson for exhibits and preservation expertise; Rachel Cole, Josh Honn, and Lauren McKeen, for WordPress help; Alan Akers for Cage Collection item wrangling; Tom O’Connell for digitization; and the support of the Archival Processing, Marketing and Communications, Music Library, Preservation, and Repository and Digital Curation teams at Northwestern University Libraries, as well as the Performance Studies department in the School of Communication. Thank you all for supporting library and archival exhibits.

 

Banner image credit: Photograph postcard from Eileen and Steve, 1975, John Cage Ephemera Collection.