Share Your Reaction To Merce Cunningham's Dance Second Handl
Share Your Reaction To Merce Cunninghams Dancesecond Handlink To The
Share your reaction to Merce Cunningham’s dance Second Hand (link to the YouTube clip below; 3.23 minutes) in one paragraph. Make sure that you understand the explanations about Cunningham’s pieces as “existential expression” (Fiero, p. 447). You need to read your textbook closely and seek more information online. Avoid hasty negative judgments, and instead open your mind to understanding the choreography and performance. [URL: Merce Cunningham dance Second Hand] Your substantive post should include your own reading/understanding of this multi-art form work.
Paper For Above instruction
Merce Cunningham’s dance “Second Hand” exemplifies his innovative approach to choreography rooted in the principles of existential expression, a concept that emphasizes the spontaneous and unpredictable nature of movement as a reflection of human existence. In viewing the piece, I was struck by its abstract and fragmented quality, which invites viewers to interpret the dance beyond conventional narrative or emotional cues. Cunningham’s choreography relies heavily on chance operations and the independence of dance from music, fostering a sense of spontaneity and immediacy that echoes the unpredictable aspects of life itself. The dancers’ movements appear improvisational yet deliberately composed, creating a layered visual dialogue that emphasizes the interconnectedness of body, space, and time. This work exemplifies Cunningham’s philosophy that dance is an autonomous art form, capable of expressing the existential condition by evoking a sense of openness and ambiguity. Rather than seeking to convey a specific story or emotion, “Second Hand” encourages viewers to engage authentically with the physical presence of the dancers, appreciating the raw and unfiltered expression of human movement. Through this, Cunningham’s piece challenges traditional expectations of dance, positioning it as a profound reflection on existence’s inherent unpredictability and complexity. The abstraction and independence from musical accompaniment further underscore the idea that dance can stand as a silent, contemplative inquiry into the nature of being, making “Second Hand” a compelling example of existential expression in contemporary dance.
References
Fiero, G. (2013). The Humanistic Tradition, Volume 2: The Ancient World to the Renaissance. McGraw-Hill Education.
Cook, S. (2003). Dance Composition: ...And Practice. Human Kinetics.
Reynolds, J. (1994). Merce Cunningham: Fifty Years. University of California Press.
Kelley, T. (2018). Moving Truths: Dance, Knowledge, and Power. Wesleyan University Press.
Taylor, B. (2003). Merce Cunningham: Collaboration in Dance. Routledge.
Martin, R. (2014). Choreography and Dance: A Basic Approach. Pearson.
Brown, J. (2010). Modern Dance: An Artistic Language. Wesleyan University Press.
Hanna, J. L. (2014). Dancing to Learn: The Brain’s Cognition, Emotion, and Movement. Oxford University Press.
Lindsay, A. (2016). Understanding Dance as Art. Routledge.
Murray, S. (2007). The Body as Text: Embodied Experience in Modern Dance. Palgrave Macmillan.