Program 12: Embodying Legacy

Thirty years after the world premiere of legendary choreographer Merce Cunningham’s August Pace, the original cast members gather in a New York City studio for the first time to teach their roles to a younger generation. Their reunion is a grand experiment in group transmission, where the older dancers rediscover the work only to let it go and see it anew as observers. In this fly-on-the-wall documentary, we witness the original cast both in archival footage and in the studio as—with touching poignancy and humor—they grapple with movement they danced in their prime. The young artists, making the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, eagerly draw on their predecessors’ knowledge to take on these same challenges with fresh energy and determination. Along the way, new bonds are formed against a background of memories, stories, and laughter.