‘He said two things to me in five years. And one was thanks for the cheese’ – Merce Cunningham
He was a rail-thin, zen-like powerhouse who electrified dance – and his pupils. As Merce Cunningham’s centenary is celebrated, four disciples recall an unforgettable teacher
Valda Setterfield, danced with the company in 1961 and 1965-75
When I came to New York in 1958, I was 23 and didn’t know a thing. A British dancer said to me: “You know, they have very interesting ideas in New York that we don’t have.” I felt maybe I’d made a mistake, but then I watched Merce’s class and thought: “This is why I came to America!”