2009-07-27 23:12:06 -

Influential American choreographer MERCE CUNNINGHAM, hailed as revolutionising modern dance, has died at the age of 90.
The dancing great died at his New York home on Sunday (26Jul09), "peacefully" and from natural causes, according to a statement from the Cunningham

Dance Foundation.
Cunningham formed his own group, the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, in 1953 and choreographed almost 200 productions.
During his dancing career he was honoured with the National Medal of Arts and the MacArthur Fellowship.
In April (09), Cunningham marked his 90th birthday by premiering his new work, Nearly Ninety, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York. Last month (Jun09) he also set up a legacy plan to continue his work.
The choreographer danced into his 80s but was wheelchair-bound for the last few years of his life.
Last year (Dec08), Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones teamed up with rockers Sonic Youth and composer Takehisa Kosugi to create new music for an upcoming showcase for Cunningham's New-York based dance company.
Cunningham is survived by his younger brother Jack and a collection of nieces and nephews.