A case study of Merce Cunningham's use of the LifeForms computer choreographic system in the making of Trackers

Abstract

The thesis examines Merce Cunningham's making of the dance Trackers, which was created with the assistance of LifeForms , a computer choreographic software tool developed at Simon Fraser University in the computer graphics research lab.LifeForms provides an interactive, graphical interface that enables a choreographer to sketch out movement ideas in space and time.The making of Trackers i s an example of an ongoing process of exploration in Merce Cunningham's work with computer technology.Trackers was premiered on Tuesday, March 19,1991, at the New York City Center Theater, and was performed by Merce Cunningham and eleven of the Cunningham Company dancers.The author, a member of the LifeForms design team at Simon Fraser University, has worked with Cunningham since December 1989 for a period totalling seventy five days, tutoring him in the use of LifeForms and supporting his cieaiion of new movement.The history of dance and the use of computers i s examined in order to provide technological context and supporting material to the case study of Cunningham's making of Trackers.Choreographic process as it occurs in the studio i s explored, in order to assess how computer technology can be trsed GS G supp~rtive toot ir; the cie~tion, recoiding and interpretation of dance.Thi s provides a Sackground to the description cf computers systems that have been developed for dance.iii The case study examines the evolving versions of LifeForms used by Merce Cunningham since December 1989, and describes in detail the system used by Cunningham to create Trackers.it investigates how the study of design process has affected the implementation of LifeForrns.It also describes the history of the Cunningham/ LifeForms relationship: Cunningham's use of chance procedures, the installation of the computer system and software, Cunningham's learning process, and the creative process and methods used by Cunningham to make the movement within LifeForms to create the dance Trackers.The study concludes that computer technology can enrich the creative experience of choreographers by p f o ~i d i n ~ new methods to explore movement compositionally and recommends further directions for choreographic research.'The Evolution of an Interface for Choreographers", Interchi proceedings, Interchi Conference, Amsterdam, Aprii 1993.Simon Fraser University, has been responsible for installing the LifeForms software In CunninghatrFssfudio in New Yoik, tutoring Cunningharn in its use, and supporting his creation and exploration of new movemefit with the LifeForms system.During ihe time that Cunningham has been using LifeForms, the author has travelled to New York to work with Cunningham on thirteen occasions and worked with Cunningham for a total of seventy five days, 1 he installation of the LifeForms chore~graphic software in Cunningham's Westbeth studio in New York city in December 1989, and the learning and creative piocess that ensued, has spanned a three year period as of this writing, The working method between Cunningham and the author evolved during the first year in which LifeForms was installed in Cunninghum's studio, Cunningham would generally work for two to three hours in the afternoon with the author, During these sessions it was the author's role to faciiitate Cunningham's use of the system by exploring features of LifeForms and supporting him in his creation of movement.In addition to participating in, and observing the learning and working process of Cunningham, the author also had a number of discussions with Cunningham that focussed specifically on the making of Trackers in which Cunningham shared detailed observations, choreographic notes, and explanations of how movement phrases were created using LifeForms, how these phrases were rehearsed in the studio with the Cunningham dancers, how working with the software affected his choreographic methods, and most importantly how LifeForms enabled him to extend his imagination and expand possibilities for cieating movement.Chapter 2 of this study reviews literature in the area of computer technology and dance.It i s intended to provide technological context and supporting material to the case study of Cunningham's making of Trackers with LifeForrns.Chapter 3 examines the evolving versions of LifeFoms used by Merce Cunningham since December 1989, anc! describes in detail the system used by Cunningham to create Trackers.Chapter 4 describes the hist~ry of the Cunningham/ LifeForms relationship: Cunningham's use of chance procedures, the installation of the computer system and software, Cunningham's learning process, and the creative process and methods used by Cunningham to make the movement within LifeForms to create the dance Trackers.Trackers is the first of the three new dances that Cunningham created in 1991 (all of wfiich were conceived in part using LifeForms).Cunningham has commented on the computer's ability to re-define the imaginable, or even the possible.'I have had the same fascination with movement that I've had all my life.I find it all just as maddening, mysterious and exhausting.The point i s that dance need not refer to something else.It i s what it is.But you can get fixed ideas, and it can get restrictive.So, I try to put myself in a precarious p~sition."~Cunningham's work with LifeForrns i s a continuation of his ability to move beyond the resW3ive to the precarious positio~ embodied by exploration, 4 Jennifer Dunning, qucting Merce Cunningham in "For Cunningham, Dance is as Mysterious As It Ever Was".

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