Steve Paxton

Steve Paxton (born 1939 in Phoenix, Arizona) is an experimental dancer and choreographer. His early background was in gymnastics while his later training included three years with Merce Cunningham and a year with José Limón. As a founding member of the Judson Dance Theater, he performed works by Yvonne Rainer and Trisha Brown. He was a founding member of the experimental group Grand Union and in 1972 named and began to develop the dance form known as Contact Improvisation, a form of dance that utilizes the physical laws of friction, momentum, gravity, and inertia to explore the relationship between dancers.

Steve Paxton
Steve Paxton 2012
Born
NationalityAmerican
Known forchoreography, dance improvisation, contact improvisation
Notable workProxy (1961), Satisfyin' Lover (1969), PA RT (1978), Bound (1981), Goldberg Variations (1986), Night Stand (2004)
StyleContact Improvisation (founder), Material for the Spine (founder)
MovementJudson Dance Theater, Postmodern dance
AwardsNEA Grant (1980), Guggenheim Fellowshing (1995), Venise Biennale Golden Lion (2004), Bessie for Lifetime Achievement (2015)

Paxton believed that even an untrained dancer could contribute to the dance form, and so began his great interest in pedestrian movement. After working with Cunningham and developing chance choreography, defined as any movement being his generation whose approach has influenced choreography globally. He attempts to remain reclusive, except when performing, teaching and choreographing internationally.

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