娱乐英语新闻:Innovative choreographer Merce Cunningham dies at 90

NEW YORK, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Merce Cunningham, the legendary American choreographer who is credited with helping to elevate dance as an art form, is dead at the age of 90, it was announced in New York on Monday.

    He "died peacefully in his home last night of natural causes," the Cunningham Dance Foundation and the Merce Cunningham Dance Company announced in a joint statement.

    Cunningham "was among a handful of 20th-century figures to make dance a major art and a major form of theater," The New York Times said. "Cunningham ranks with Isadora Duncan, Serge Diaghilev, Martha Graham and George Balanchine in making people rethink the essence of dance and choreography."

    Trevor Carlson, executive director of the foundation, said, "Merce saw beauty in the ordinary, which is what made him extraordinary. He did not allow convention to lead him, but was a true artist, honest and forthcoming in everything he did. His approach to art and life opened so many paths for others -- not to follow, but to discover."

    The foundation's chairwoman, Judith R. Fishman, said, "Merce was an artistic maverick and the gentlest of geniuses. We have lost a great man and a great artist, but we celebrate his extraordinary life, his art, and the dancers and the artists with whom he worked. To honor Merce, we plan to carry on our efforts to share and preserve his legacy, so that audiences of today and generations of tomorrow may witness the work of this legendary artist."

    The joint statement said Cunningham was "an inspiring performer and dancer into his 80s, and a visionary choreographer and dedicated teacher throughout his life, he led quietly and by example," the statement said. "With his partner John Cage, he opened up new ways of perceiving and experiencing the world, and his insatiable curiosity, collaborative spirit, and love of the new inspired countless artists across disciplines."

    "Merce has left an indelible mark on our collective creativity and culture; his legacy will resonate in the dance world and beyond for generations to come," it said.

    The statement said contributions to the Foundation's Legacy Campaign for the preservation of Cunningham's work were being accepted in lieu of flowers.

    Visitors were being received in the Merce Cunningham Studio from 9 a.m. EDT to 9 p.m. EDT.

    Funeral arrangements were incomplete, the foundation said.