Merce Cunningham, 1919-2009

Born to the Dance
Merce Cunningham, who died on July 26, 2009, at the age of 90, was one of the giants of American dance: a prolific avant-garde choreographer, a commanding performer and, toward the end of his life, a powerfully evocative presence onstage. Born in Washington State in 1919, he was dancing down the aisle of his church at the age of 4; at the age of 80, he appeared in a duet with Mikhail Baryshnikov. He never stopped coming up with new steps. He said, "If the dancer dances, which is not the same as having theories about dancing or wishing to dance or trying to dance, everything is there."

• TIME's 1960 story on Cunningham