The 2006/2007 Merce Cunningham Student Handbook is now available online as HTML or download and print the PDF version.

Facilities

The Merce Cunningham Studio is located at 55 Bethune Street in the West Village, and occupies the entire eleventh floor of the Westbeth Artists' Housing Complex. Large windows admit natural light throughout the day in the two studios, which have sprung floors and high ceilings. The space also provides men's and women's dressing rooms, offices, lavatories and showers, public telephone, and wheelchair access for visitors.

Westbeth, a cluster of buildings overlooking the Hudson River, was the first facility of its kind for artists in the United States. Dancers, musicians, visual artists, actors, singers, writers, filmmakers, photographers, and others artists in residence at Westbeth support the effort to maintain an artists' community at work.

Students find that the variety of activity at Westbeth and in New York provides opportunity for growth and an enlarged experience of the arts. Students are encouraged to join the cultural life and theatrical activity that surround them.

Cunningham Dance Foundation occupies administrative offices on the main floor of Westbeth, and an extensive archive located just above on the second floor. Students and outside scholars are always welcome in the screening room of the Merce Cunningham Archives, where videotapes and other materials about Cunningham's works are available for independent study.

No dormitory facilities are maintained, though students do receive current information about apartments and residential hotels in the city. The Studio maintains a housing bulletin board to help coordinate the efforts of those looking for living space with those seeking to share accommodations.

Course of Study

The Merce Cunningham Studio offers four quarters of continuous instruction each academic year: summer, fall, winter and spring. Daily technique classes are supplemented by workshops that are held periodically in composition, repertory, rhythm, camera/dance and teaching.

Merce Cunningham wants his technique to remain flexible, not codified. The rigorous training places emphasis on acquiring strength, clarity and precision. Cunningham dance technique makes demands on students not only in physical terms, but also develops their mental resilience. Daily repetition of principles in a variety of exercises promotes understanding of the aesthetic unique to Cunningham's work. Movement is the source material, free of emotional overload. Maximum use of the spine and torso are key. Concepts of space and time exist in a relative framework, one that differs from other contemporary dance techniques.

The major strength of the programs at the Merce Cunningham Studio is the close association of students with dancers in Merce Cunningham Dance Company, allowing them to be directly in touch with the daily life of professional dancers. Daily classes taught by a variety of teachers provide contact with Cunningham, his company and faculty. Students have frequent opportunities to observe rehearsals, participate in workshops, and attend New York performances of Merce Cunningham Dance Company.

Class Levels

Four separate class levels, ranging from introduction to advanced, enable instructors to assign each student to the class level best suited to his or her own particular stage of development. At all levels the progress of each student is measured by the faculty; students progress at their own rate and advance accordingly with the permission of instructors.

At each level, the technique exercises follow a similar format and stress the same principles. The work becomes increasingly demanding in terms of clarity of movement, strength, stamina and complexity.

The Back Exercise class, held weekly in the small studio, is focused on the exercises of the Cunningham technique warm-up and basic principles.  It is especially beneficial to new students.

Elementary level is for students new to the Studio who have had previous dance training. Students learn the exercises for the back, how to make changes of weight, and combinations of back positions and weight changes in moving phrases.

Intermediate level students learn more complex phrases. They are expected to have a strong sense of center and display clear shapes of movement.

Advanced level is a class which maintains dancers at a professional level of proficiency. It is designed for professionals from dance companies, including Merce Cunningham Dance Company, and for students who demonstrate the required strength and ability and is open to students by invitation only.

Students follow a course of study best suited to their needs and objectives by enrolling in one of the following: Open Program, Professional Training Program, or International Program. Students from each of the programs take classes together according to their level.

Open Program

The Open Program is designed for students new to the Merce Cunningham Studio and for those who want to take classes on a flexible basis. Students may enroll at any time during the year and come as often as they wish. New students must begin with an elementary class.

Admission

Admission is open to all. Prior dance training is recommended.

Attendance

Dancers may pay for single classes.  Those who register ($50) may purchase single classes and class cards at a discounted rate.  There is no minimum attendance requirement in the Open Program.

Students living outside of New York may choose to purchase a class card valid for one year at a slightly higher class rate.

Tuition and Fees

Prices for single classes and class cards are listed in the current Schedule of Classes. Students in the Open Program are eligible to sign up for workshops in repertory and composition on a space-available basis, as long as they satisfy the recommended level requirements. In general, workshop prices are slightly higher for Open Program students.

Refunds

The permanent registration fee is non-refundable. Class cards are non-refundable except in case of documented injury or illness: when injury or illness prevents a student from completing a class card within the five-week period, the student may request an extension from the Administrator.

Withdrawal

If for any reason the faculty or administration finds the program inappropriate for a student and requests withdrawal of that student, a portion of tuition will be refunded.

Financial Aid

All registered students are eligible for a limited number of merit scholarships awarded through auditions that are conducted quarterly. A limited number of work scholarships are also available. Students awarded either merit or work scholarships are required to then transfer to the Professional Training Program or the International Program. The Studio Financial Aid Guide provides more detailed information on financial aid.

Professional Training Program

Admission

All candidates for the Professional Training Program must have registered and completed at least ten classes in the Open Program and have demonstrated the ability to take daily class at Elementary level or higher. Students must have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent. Students currently attending high school, or who have not received their diploma or equivalent, may attend classes in the Professional Training Program but they are not eligible to receive credits toward a certificate. Students who subsequently complete high school or who pass the GED may apply for advanced standing in the program.

Enrollment

Enrollment is based on the academic quarter system, corresponding to the four seasons, with terms beginning in early July (Summer), October (Fall), January (Winter), and April (Spring). Students arriving mid-quarter attend class in the Open Program until the start of a new quarter. A student may elect to enroll full-time (8-9 classes per week), three-quarter time (6-7 classes per week), or half-time (4-5 classes per week). Students new to the Professional Training Program must enroll in a minimum of four classes per week. Merit scholarship recipients must agree to attend class daily, and fulfill a minimum of six classes per week.

Attendance

Regular attendance is one indication of a student's interest and commitment in dance. The Studio requires students enrolled in the Professional Training Program to maintain their enrollment agreements. Class cards are issued to all Professional Training Program students as needed throughout the quarter. Monthly records of attendance are maintained and reports are given to each student. Those who fall behind may have an opportunity to make up classes within a quarterly attendance period.

Students are allowed three unexcused absences during the quarter. Excused absences are confined to documented injury or illness; these are limited to no more than two weeks per quarter. Excused absence for illness or injury should be requested in writing before the end of the attendance period. Students absent more than two weeks due to a prolonged condition may be required to withdraw for medical reasons.

Students are encouraged to make up missed classes to maintain satisfactory progress in the program. Students who fail to meet minimum attendance requirements may be subject to probation or suspension.

Tuition and fees, listed in the current Daily Class Schedule, are payable upon the first day of the quarter, unless a student is receiving federal financial aid. A student with an outstanding bill shall not be permitted to attend class.

Financial Aid

The Studio is committed to assisting as many qualified candidates as its funds will allow and seeks to aid those students whose personal resources are insufficient for the cost of the program. Aid is awarded on the basis of need and/or merit through a program of scholarships, federal grants, and work-study opportunities. Applications for financial aid are accepted at all times throughout the academic year.

Merit scholarships are awarded through auditions that are conducted quarterly. Scholarship students receive tuition credit for one-half the cost of enrollment at six classes per week. United States citizens or permanent residents may also qualify for federally funded student financial aid, based solely on need and awarded without reference to age, gender, marital status, sexual preference, race, religion, or national or ethnic origin.

The application for financial assistance through the Professional Training Program is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). All merit scholarship students are required to file a copy of the FAFSA with the Administrator.

Refunds

The Studio's expenses are paid in part with tuition and fee income, and budgets are established on the basis of Enrollment Agreements. It must be understood that an Enrollment Agreement in the Professional Training Program involves an obligation and a liability for tuition and fees for the full quarter. All requests for refunds must be accompanied by the Application for Withdrawal. The amount of refund, according to the schedule below, will be based upon the date the Application for Withdrawal is processed or will be based on the last day of attendance if no Application for Withdrawal is received.

First Time Students: Students enrolled in their first quarter of the Professional Training Program who withdraw voluntarily before completing eight weeks of the quarter receive a pro rata refund less any unpaid charges.

Medical Withdrawal: a proration of the tuition based on classes completed is refunded.

Voluntary Withdrawal: Tuition is refunded at the following rates:

First day of the quarter: 75% of tuition

Within the first week: 50% of tuition

Within five weeks: 25% of tuition

After five weeks: no refund

Should the withdrawal of a student be requested for reasons consistent with the best interest of the Merce Cunningham Studio, a proration of tuition based on completion is refunded.

The Studio awards Federal financial aid from the PELL, SEOG and Federal Work-Study Program.

The following explains calculations for Federal financial aid refunds:

A student must complete at least 60% of the payment period to qualify for all Federal eligible aid.

If a student completes less than 60%, the earned aid is equal to the % of the payment period completed times the aid earned.  Any funds received in excess of funds earned will be refunded to the Studio.

When calculating refunds for Financial Aid, Federal Work-Study is not included.  Only the PELL and SEOG grants are part of the calculation.  All students are provided with full disclosure of refund calculations.  If a student is due a refund of funds, the student is provided with a check within 30 days.

A student may request a copy of the Federal Policies and Procedures from the Financial Aid Office.

Certificate

It is Cunningham's belief that a dancer's training is continuous, and therefore the Studio does not graduate students in the usually accepted sense. Students are not pressured to progress more rapidly than their skills and concentration allow, and some may choose to interrupt their studies for other professional opportunities.

Because the education of a dancer never ends, certificates given to students are not marks of completion, but evidence of concentrated commitment to the study of Cunningham dance technique over a period of time. They are granted upon the recommendation of the Director to those students who have earned 96 or 144 credits, respectively, during the period of their enrollment in the Professional Training Program.

Satisfactory Progress

In order to maintain satisfactory progress, students must complete 144 credits in no more than six years at a minimum of 24 credits per quarter. Exceptions may be granted only in cases of prolonged injury, illness, or professional commitments; these must be documented. Failure to maintain satisfactory progress may be an indication of lack of interest, ability, effort or aptitude for the work.  The studio reserves the right to suspend students, at its discretion, for reasons of health and safety of the student or student body.  

Probation

Students who fail to maintain attendance and credit requirements are placed on academic probation for the following quarter of enrollment. Students remain eligible for financial aid during the probationary quarter. Students must maintain the minimum attendance requirements during the probationary quarter to remain in the Professional Training Program and to remain eligible for federally-funded financial assistance.

Suspension

Failure to maintain satisfactory progress during the probationary period will result in suspension from the program and cancellation of federal financial assistance.

Reinstatement

Following suspension, a student may be reinstated in the Professional Training Program following a mandatory quarter in the Open Program. Sufficient improvement in attendance, concentration, and commitment must be verified by the faculty.

Academic Credits

Credits are determined on the basis of the student's attendance record and are recorded at the conclusion of each quarter. Additional credits are awarded by the Studio for participation in workshops and performances under faculty supervision. Credits earned in the Professional Training Program may be accepted at other institutions at the discretion of the school to which the student transfers.

Accreditation

The Merce Cunningham Studio is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Dance. The National Association of Schools of Dance was established in 1981 to develop a closer relationship among schools and programs of dance for the purpose of examining and improving practices and professional standards in dance education and training. The National Association of Schools of Dance has been designated by the Commission on Recognition of Post secondary Accreditation and the United States Department of Education as the agency responsible for the accreditation of all dance curricula.

International Program

Dancers from abroad interested in professional training at the Merce Cunningham Studio are invited to apply for the International Student Program, a program equivalent to the Professional Training Program available to United States citizens and permanent residents. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance, students in this program work toward a certificate of completion.

The Application Process

Applying for a student visa is a lengthy process. We recommend that the student contact the school at least 4 months prior to the start date of the program he/she wishes to enroll in.

Students applying from abroad are asked to submit the following:

Cover letter to include the reasons for study at the Merce Cunningham Studio

Merce Cunningham Classes Application Form

Copy of Curriculum Vitae

Copy of Valid Passport Information Page

Two professional recommendations (in English) from a qualified dance professional.

Proof of financial support:
A current personal bank statement to show sufficient funds to cover tuition and fees, living expenses, health insurance, and travel.

A non-refundable application fee of $150. New York is very expensive. Estimated Minimum monthly living expenses are $1000 to $1200 exclusive of tuition. Health insurance is additional. A minimum amount for living expenses, tuition and fees for one year is $15,000-$16,000.

Dancers may be sponsored for a student visa if they have the qualifications to pursue full-time study at the Elementary Level of technique or higher. The Elementary Class is not for beginning dancers, but is designed for dancers new to Cunningham's technique.

Although English is not required for admission, it is highly recommended. Students without a strong command of English would not benefit from directives and corrections given in class.

Accepted students will be sent a letter and asked to pay tuition and fees for the first academic quarter of their enrollment, and sign a Letter of Agreement accepting the terms of the program. In addition to the quarterly fee for full-time enrollment ($900), they will be billed for the Annual Fee ($100) and the Permanent Registration Fee ($40.)

Upon receipt of payment and the signed agreement, they will be issued a SEVIS document I-20 (for F-1 students) or DS-2019 (for J-1 students).

Students should allow a minimum of two to four months prior to the start of an academic quarter to secure the SEVIS documents and arrange for a visa interview at the American Embassy or Consular Office.

Student VISAS

The Merce Cunningham Studio is authorized to accept non-immigrant students who qualify for the F-1 Visa or the J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa. International students are sponsored for a student visa provided they study full-time and that is their primary purpose in the United States. As full-time students sponsored by the Cunningham Dance Foundation for either F-1 or J-1 Visa, students must be able to earn a minimum of twelve academic credits per quarter. A full-time program should be completed in a time period of two to three years. A student should be able to earn 96 academic credits in two years; and 144 credits in three years.

Although most students begin the program in Summer Quarter or Fall Quarter, it is possible to begin at any point during the year.

Students may take one quarter as vacation period providing they have attended three consecutive quarters.

The F-1 Student Visa and the J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa must be obtained at the U.S. Embassy in the country of residence or home country.

F-1 Students are not permitted to work in the USA. Therefore U.S. government regulations require that International Students provide documentation to the school issuing the I-20 that they have sufficient funds to cover expenses for the length of the program. This includes tuition, fees and living expenses.

Students who are unable to complete the full program will receive a letter of certification and a transcript with the number of credits completed to date.

International Students Without a Student VISA

Students from abroad already visiting in the United States may join the program for one or two quarters if they hold a Tourist Visa (B-2)*, a Visa Waiver (valid only for 90 days), or another non-immigrant visa. They may also choose to follow the Open Program that offers more flexible enrollment.

A B-2 Visa may suffice If a student applies for one quarter only, or the Winter Intensive Program, or the Summer Intensive Program. However if the student receives a government scholarship for this study, a student visa(F-1 or J-1) may be required.

A B-2 Visa may only be extended for a total time period of 6 months.

A Visa Waiver may NOT be extended at all.

Students who apply when they are already in New York are requested to complete ten classes or more in the Open Program and submit an Enrollment Application. The faculty and administration will determine if the full-time certificate program is appropriate for them. Should they require a student visa, they may need to apply for a transfer of visa, or return to their home country and re-enter with the proper visa.

* Upon admission to the United States, student should declare intention to apply.

F-1 Non-immigrant Students

Students who are privately funded, either with personal or family funds or an individual sponsor may be admitted with non-immigrant F-1 status. They must qualify for full-time study at the Elementary level or higher and demonstrate that they have sufficient financial support to cover the duration of their program. A Financial Affidavit is required.

J-1 Exchange Visitor Students

Exchange Visitor students must also demonstrate the ability to pursue full-time study. Their funding for their program may come from a government agency or private agency, but not from personal funds.

Sources of funding that are approved by the Agency include: the United States government; the government of the student's home country; international organizations of which the United States is a member by treaty or statute; scholarships or fellowships from state or local governments in the student's home country; and grants from foundations or educational institutions in the United States and abroad.

In some cases there is a two-year home requirement following completion of the program.

Class / Schedule Information

Starting dates for the quarter are on or near the beginning of January, April, July, and October. All new students begin at the Elementary Level. Students are expected to have experience in dance technique (ballet, another modern technique) prior to professional study of technique at the Merce Cunningham Studio.

Tuition applies to a specific number of required technique classes. Special Workshops carry an additional fee.

Advancement to the Intermediate Level is by recommendation from the faculty. The Student Identification Card includes a place for faculty signatures to allow a student to try the next level.

The Open Program is ongoing. International students may start at any time during the year. Students who arrive in New York during the middle of an academic quarter should take daily classes in the Open Program until the new Quarter begins.

Housing

The Studio does not have housing facilities. We maintain a list of temporary housing suggestions. We have a bulletin board at the Studio where students can look for apartments to sublet or share. If you plan to rent your own apartment you may have to pay 1 to 3 months rent in advance as security. If you use a rental agent, you will need to pay them an additional fee.

International Student Health Insurance

All international students are required to have medical insurance from the time they arrive in the US. If you have a personal insurance from your country that covers doctors' fees, please mail a copy to the Studio. Otherwise, you must subscribe to a group policy through the Studio. Costs vary with age and marital status.

This is a requirement of the United States Department of Homeland Security. Failure to comply could mean termination of your program.

Financial Aid and Employment

All students are eligible to audition for merit scholarships, which are awarded every three months. In addition to merit scholarships, a limited number of work scholarships are available. Most scholarship awards cover half the cost of tuition.
The Department of Homeland Security restricts employment for international students. Students are expected to have sufficient funds when they arrive so that they do not need to find work. Do not count on working in New York to pay for your stay here.

F-1 Students may work on campus in exchange for tuition. They may apply to INS for Work Authorization in cases of severe economic hardship, after they have been in the program for one academic year. Since there are no long vacation periods, only part-time employment may be possible.

J-1 Exchange Visitors may apply for a Social Security card to seek part?time employment after they have been in the program for at least one quarter if their attendance record is excellent.

Exchange Visitor students are not permitted to perform with dance companies where admission fees are charged.

Attendance / Refund Policy

Students must register for full time enrollment and make up any missed classes during an academic quarter of 12 weeks. Absences are excused up to two weeks during a quarter for illness and injury only. A written note should be submitted with the dates missed and the reason. *

If a student has professional dance commitments out of the country that require temporary absence from the program, arrangement must be made in advance of registration for the quarter. A written statement from the employer is required. If the absence is longer than two weeks it may be possible to prorate the tuition.

The Merce Cunningham Studio makes refunds to the students in the form of tuition credit only under the following limited circumstances:

Medical reasons. A written statement from a physician is required for all illness and injury that prevents a student from making up missed classes to complete the quarter.

Any problems due to unusual circumstances should be discussed with the Studio Director and/or the International Program Adviser.

Please address any questions or concerns to:

Mary Lisa Burns Studio Director 212 255-8240 Ext. 32
Alice Helpern International Student Adviser 212 255-8240, Ext. 31

*Prolonged absence due to illness or injury may require a temporary medical withdrawal from the program.

Professional Opportunities

The Merce Cunningham Studio prepares students for professional performing careers either with Merce Cunningham Dance Company or other professional dance companies both in the United States and abroad. While the Studio frequently succeeds in assisting students to obtain professional work, it never promises or guarantees to do so.

Created in 1983 by the Cunningham Dance Foundation, the Repertory Understudy Group is an important resource for Merce Cunningham. The dancers in the Repertory Understudy Group are among the most promising students enrolled at the Merce Cunningham Studio. The group works alongside the company during rehearsals to learn dances in the current repertory. As a result, the understudies have the facility to quickly replace injured or departing company members.

Former students and company members have pursued careers as independent choreographers and teachers in New York, across the United States and abroad. Faculty members at the Merce Cunningham Studio are invited for Residencies in colleges and universities, artists-in-the-schools, and summer dance programs.

The Studio Rental Program

The Studio Rental Program at the Merce Cunningham Studio makes professional performing opportunities available at reasonable cost. The fully-equipped performing space, with technical support, is available year round at low rental rates subsidized by the Cunningham Dance Foundation. Renters are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis; they have use of both studios for rehearsal and performance, the dressing rooms, lighting and sound systems, as well as the professional support of the Studio's Technical Director. The Merce Cunningham Studio is available for performances after 8 pm Monday through Friday and after 6:30 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Students in the Professional Training Program and the International Program receive a 15% discount on rental fees.

The Faculty

Merce Cunningham began choreographing independently in 1942. Teaching soon became an important adjunct to his choreography, both in the development of movement that would become material for actual dances, and in the training of dancers equipped to perform that movement. During the forties and early fifties he began to be in demand for master classes and short courses in schools and universities across the United States. In the summer of 1949, Cunningham spent several months in Paris, where he taught classes and gave concerts. On his return to New York, he was invited to join the faculty of the School of American Ballet, where he taught a weekly class in Cunningham technique for two seasons.

Cunningham was on the faculty of Black Mountain College, North Carolina in 1948 and 1952, and was invited back in the summer 1953. That summer he was in residence with a group of dancers who had been studying and performing with him in New York. At the end of the summer they gave performances of the repertory they had been rehearsing: this was the beginning of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company as a regularly constituted organization.

In the early years of the Dance Company, when payment for rehearsal periods was rare, Cunningham began teaching regular classes to his dancers as a way of keeping the company together. These classes were also opened to other dancers. For several summers Cunningham was in residence with his company at the American Dance Festival at Connecticut College, New London, teaching, rehearsing, and performing.

After renting studios for many years, Cunningham opened his own studio in the winter of 1959 on the top floor of the Living Theatre Building at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Fourteenth Street. In 1966, the Studio moved to 498 Third Avenue, and again in 1971 to its present location at Westbeth in the West Village.

In addition to classes in technique, Cunningham has taught repertory, composition and videodance workshops both in his studio and elsewhere. Two Video Workshops have been held at the American Center in Paris, in 1978 and 1980. With his collaborator, filmmaker Elliot Caplan, Cunningham taught video and film dance workshops in San Francisco in 1984 and 1986 and in New York at the Cunningham Studio in 1985. UPDATE: In recent years, many of the company's touring engagements, both in the United States and abroad, have taken the form of residencies, whether short or long, whose activities have included study days, technique classes and workshops as well as performances, lecture demonstrations, and open rehearsals.

Full-time Faculty

Robert Swinston, Assistant to the Choreographer, has been a member of Merce Cunningham Dance Company since 1980. He attended Middlebury College and the Juilliard School, where he received a BFA in dance. He has also performed with the Martha Graham Apprentice Company, Jose Limon Dance Company, and Kazuko Hirabayashi Dance Theatre. He has taught at Montclair State College, SUNY-Purchase and the Juilliard School. He joined the faculty of the Merce Cunningham Studio in 1987. Swinston has assisted in the staging of Cunningham works for Boston Ballet and White Oak Dance Project.

Carol Teitelbaum, danced with Merce Cunningham Dance Company from 1986-1993 and is the Faculty Chair of the Merce Cunningham Dance Studio, where she has taught for over fifteen years. In addition to teaching Repertory Workshops at the Merce Cunningham Studio, she has collaborated with Carolyn Brown on several revivals of Mr. Cunningham's early works, such as Winterbranch (1964), Septet (1953) and Crises (1959), and is scheduled to set the latter work on the Ballet de la Lorraine in March. Ms. Teitelbaum holds an M.F.A. in Dance from the University of Michigan and has also performed in both the Manuel Alum Dance Company and the Lucinda Childs Dance Company.

Part-time Instructors

The faculty includes members of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company and the following teachers, whose names are followed by the date they began teaching at the Cunningham Studio:

* former member, Merce Cunningham Dance Company

Notice of Non-Discriminatory Policy

The Merce Cunningham Studio admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, or sexual preference, to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities available to students at the Studio. It does not discriminate in education or employment on the basis of age, gender, sexual preference, marital status, race, color, national origin, religion, or physical handicap. This policy is consistent with relevant governmental statutes and regulations, including those pursuant to Title IX of the Federal Education amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Emergency Fund for Student Dancers

The Merce Cunningham Studio is a founding member of the Emergency Fund for Student Dancers (efsdancers.org), a service organization formed in 1989 to provide emergency loan funds, and information about housing and health care, to full-time students enrolled in non-profit dance schools. Other members include: Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, School of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Erick Hawkins School of Dance, Laban-Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies, the Limon Institute, Martha Graham School, and the Nikolais-Louis Dance Lab. Benefit concerts featuring student and faculty choreography and concerts by studio accompanists help raise money for the fund, which also receives donations from individuals and foundations.

For Future Generations

The Cunningham Dance Foundation is a tax-exempt charitable and educational corporation which exists to support the wide-ranging creative activities of Merce Cunningham. The Foundation administers the activities of Merce Cunningham Dance Company and the Repertory Understudy Group, Merce Cunningham Film/Video/Archives and Cunningham's independent work, as well as the Merce Cunningham Studio.

Contributions may be designated to support student scholarships. The Foundation is committed to the continuing and expanding appreciation of Merce Cunningham throughout the world in the present and the future.

Further information may be obtained from the Foundation's Office of Development at 55 Bethune Street, New York, New York 10014 (telephone 212 255-8240; fax 212 633-2453).