Revolutionary choreographer Cunningham dies

New York: Merce Cunningham, the legendary New York-based choreographer who revolutionized modern dance, has died at age 90, his foundation said Monday."It is with great sorrow that we note the passing of Merce Cunningham, who died peacefully in his home last night of natural causes," the Cunningham Dance Foundation and the Merce Cunningham Dance Company said in a statement.

The statement hailed Cunningham, saying he "revolutionized the visual and performing arts -- not for the sake of iconoclasm, but for the beauty and wonder that lay in exploring new possibilities." Although wheelchair-bound by the end of his career, Cunningham was still hard at work and he danced on stage right into his 80s. His foundation said he`d left "an indelible mark on our collective creativity and culture," working with his partner, the composer John Cage, to open "new ways of perceiving and experiencing the world." "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," said Judith Fishman, chairman of the Cunningham Dance Foundation. Last month Cunningham summarized his views of dance, saying: "My idea has always been to explore human physical movement. I attempt to teach students and dancers about my technique, but in a way that allows room for individuality." His influence is likely to long survive him. In June he announced a "Living Legacy Plan," a trust tasked with overseeing the integrity of his teachings. Bureu Report