IF THE DANCER DANCES invites viewers into the intimate world of the dance studio. Stephen Petronio, one of today’s leading dance-makers, is determined to help his dancers breathe new life into RainForest (1968), an iconic work by the legendary choreographer Merce Cunningham. With help from three members of the former Cunningham company, the film tracks Petronio’s dancers as they strive to re-stage this great work, revealing what it takes to keep a dance – and a legacy – alive. Timed to coincide with Cunningham’s centennial, IF THE DANCER DANCES is the first documentary on the subject of Cunningham’s work since his passing in 2009.
Merce
Cunningham was an American dancer and choreographer who stood at the
forefront of American modern dance for more than 60 years. As a
choreographer, teacher, and leader of the Merce Cunningham Dance
Company, Cunningham had a profound influence on modern dance and earned
some of the highest honors bestowed in the arts, including the National
Medal of Arts and the MacArthur ‘Genius’ Fellowship. Cunningham is also
notable for his frequent collaborations with artists of other
disciplines, including the musicians Radiohead and John Cage (also his
life partner), as well as visual artists Andy Warhol, who did the décor
for
RainForest, the dance featured in If the Dancer Dances, Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg.
Cunningham’s
centennial is being celebrated worldwide in 2019 with performances, installations, films and other special events to honor his legacy.
