DANCER
Merce Cunningham
1919 - 2009

Merce Cunningham
Mercier Philip "Merce" Cunningham (April 16, 1919 – July 26, 2009) was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of American modern dance for more than 50 years. He frequently collaborated with artists of other disciplines, including musicians John Cage, David Tudor, Brian Eno, and graphic artists Robert Rauschenberg, Bruce Nauman, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Frank Stella, and Jasper Johns; and fashion designer Rei Kawakubo. Works that he produced with these artists had a profound impact on avant-garde art beyond the world of dance. As a choreographer, teacher, and leader of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Cunningham had a profound influence on modern dance. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Merce Cunningham is the 41st most popular dancer (up from 53rd in 2019), the 3,406th most popular biography from United States (up from 4,151st in 2019) and the 4th most popular American Dancer.
Memorability Metrics
Page views of Merce Cunningham by language
Among DANCERS
Among dancers, Merce Cunningham ranks 41 out of 116. Before him are La Goulue, Filippo Taglioni, Roland Petit, Lev Ivanov, Yury Grigorovich, and Louise Rasmussen. After him are Hilde Holger, Ninette de Valois, Zizi Jeanmaire, Léonide Massine, Frederick Ashton, and Pierina Legnani.
Most Popular Dancers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsLa Goulue
1866 - 1929
HPI: 63.84
Rank: 35
Filippo Taglioni
1777 - 1871
HPI: 63.37
Rank: 36
Roland Petit
1924 - 2011
HPI: 63.30
Rank: 37
Lev Ivanov
1834 - 1901
HPI: 63.14
Rank: 38
Yury Grigorovich
1927 - 2025
HPI: 62.57
Rank: 39
Louise Rasmussen
1815 - 1874
HPI: 62.55
Rank: 40
Merce Cunningham
1919 - 2009
HPI: 62.15
Rank: 41
Hilde Holger
1905 - 2001
HPI: 61.57
Rank: 42
Ninette de Valois
1898 - 2001
HPI: 61.55
Rank: 43
Zizi Jeanmaire
1924 - 2020
HPI: 61.49
Rank: 44
Léonide Massine
1896 - 1979
HPI: 61.44
Rank: 45
Frederick Ashton
1904 - 1988
HPI: 61.23
Rank: 46
Pierina Legnani
1863 - 1930
HPI: 61.23
Rank: 47
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1919, Merce Cunningham ranks 112. Before him are Ferdinand Kübler, J. Presper Eckert, Amir-Abbas Hoveyda, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Hermann Gmeiner, and Ginette Neveu. After him are Silva Kaputikyan, John Ljunggren, Teruo Nakamura, Gérard Oury, Hennes Weisweiler, and Isaac Boleslavsky. Among people deceased in 2009, Merce Cunningham ranks 116. Before him are Claude Berri, Hélio Gracie, Edward Schillebeeckx, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Tayeb Salih, and Henry Allingham. After him are Rosanna Schiaffino, Vasily Aksyonov, Bea Arthur, Robert Enke, Susanna Agnelli, and Shi Pei Pu.
Others Born in 1919
Go to all RankingsFerdinand Kübler
CYCLIST
1919 - 2016
HPI: 62.46
Rank: 106
J. Presper Eckert
INVENTOR
1919 - 1995
HPI: 62.45
Rank: 107
Amir-Abbas Hoveyda
POLITICIAN
1919 - 1979
HPI: 62.45
Rank: 108
Lawrence Ferlinghetti
WRITER
1919 - 2021
HPI: 62.31
Rank: 109
Hermann Gmeiner
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1919 - 1986
HPI: 62.29
Rank: 110
Ginette Neveu
MUSICIAN
1919 - 1949
HPI: 62.17
Rank: 111
Merce Cunningham
DANCER
1919 - 2009
HPI: 62.15
Rank: 112
Silva Kaputikyan
WRITER
1919 - 2006
HPI: 62.12
Rank: 113
John Ljunggren
ATHLETE
1919 - 2000
HPI: 61.94
Rank: 114
Teruo Nakamura
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1919 - 1979
HPI: 61.88
Rank: 115
Gérard Oury
FILM DIRECTOR
1919 - 2006
HPI: 61.79
Rank: 116
Hennes Weisweiler
COACH
1919 - 1983
HPI: 61.78
Rank: 117
Isaac Boleslavsky
CHESS PLAYER
1919 - 1977
HPI: 61.49
Rank: 118
Others Deceased in 2009
Go to all RankingsClaude Berri
PRODUCER
1934 - 2009
HPI: 62.47
Rank: 110
Hélio Gracie
MARTIAL ARTS
1913 - 2009
HPI: 62.31
Rank: 111
Edward Schillebeeckx
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1914 - 2009
HPI: 62.22
Rank: 112
Eunice Kennedy Shriver
POLITICIAN
1921 - 2009
HPI: 62.22
Rank: 113
Tayeb Salih
WRITER
1929 - 2009
HPI: 62.20
Rank: 114
Henry Allingham
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1896 - 2009
HPI: 62.17
Rank: 115
Merce Cunningham
DANCER
1919 - 2009
HPI: 62.15
Rank: 116
Rosanna Schiaffino
ACTOR
1939 - 2009
HPI: 62.13
Rank: 117
Vasily Aksyonov
WRITER
1932 - 2009
HPI: 62.06
Rank: 118
Bea Arthur
ACTOR
1922 - 2009
HPI: 61.82
Rank: 119
Robert Enke
SOCCER PLAYER
1977 - 2009
HPI: 61.79
Rank: 120
Susanna Agnelli
POLITICIAN
1922 - 2009
HPI: 61.79
Rank: 121
Shi Pei Pu
SINGER
1938 - 2009
HPI: 61.75
Rank: 122
In United States
Among people born in United States, Merce Cunningham ranks 3,406 out of 20,380. Before him are Mary Baker Eddy (1821), Michael Bolton (1953), Don McLean (1945), Ben Shapiro (1984), Grandma Moses (1860), and Coleman Hawkins (1904). After him are Benjamin Tucker (1854), Curtis Hanson (1945), Howard S. Becker (1928), Artie Shaw (1910), Lionel Hampton (1908), and Jacques Futrelle (1875).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsMary Baker Eddy
WRITER
1821 - 1910
HPI: 62.17
Rank: 3,400
Michael Bolton
SINGER
1953 - Present
HPI: 62.16
Rank: 3,401
Don McLean
SINGER
1945 - Present
HPI: 62.16
Rank: 3,402
Ben Shapiro
WRITER
1984 - Present
HPI: 62.15
Rank: 3,403
Grandma Moses
PAINTER
1860 - 1961
HPI: 62.15
Rank: 3,404
Coleman Hawkins
MUSICIAN
1904 - 1969
HPI: 62.15
Rank: 3,405
Merce Cunningham
DANCER
1919 - 2009
HPI: 62.15
Rank: 3,406
Benjamin Tucker
ECONOMIST
1854 - 1939
HPI: 62.15
Rank: 3,407
Curtis Hanson
FILM DIRECTOR
1945 - 2016
HPI: 62.15
Rank: 3,408
Howard S. Becker
SOCIOLOGIST
1928 - 2023
HPI: 62.15
Rank: 3,409
Artie Shaw
MUSICIAN
1910 - 2004
HPI: 62.14
Rank: 3,410
Lionel Hampton
MUSICIAN
1908 - 2002
HPI: 62.14
Rank: 3,411
Jacques Futrelle
WRITER
1875 - 1912
HPI: 62.14
Rank: 3,412
Among DANCERS In United States
Among dancers born in United States, Merce Cunningham ranks 4. Before him are Isadora Duncan (1877), Josephine Baker (1906), and Martha Graham (1894). After him are William Forsythe (1949), John Neumeier (1939), Adam Darius (1930), Maria Tallchief (1925), Alvin Ailey (1931), Frankie Manning (1914), Katherine Dunham (1909), and Yvonne Rainer (1934).
Isadora Duncan
1877 - 1927
HPI: 79.77
Rank: 1
Josephine Baker
1906 - 1975
HPI: 77.25
Rank: 2
Martha Graham
1894 - 1991
HPI: 68.48
Rank: 3
Merce Cunningham
1919 - 2009
HPI: 62.15
Rank: 4
William Forsythe
1949 - Present
HPI: 60.06
Rank: 5
John Neumeier
1939 - Present
HPI: 59.83
Rank: 6
Adam Darius
1930 - 2017
HPI: 58.05
Rank: 7
Maria Tallchief
1925 - 2013
HPI: 57.21
Rank: 8
Alvin Ailey
1931 - 1989
HPI: 56.90
Rank: 9
Frankie Manning
1914 - 2009
HPI: 55.09
Rank: 10
Katherine Dunham
1909 - 2006
HPI: 54.51
Rank: 11
Yvonne Rainer
1934 - Present
HPI: 54.49
Rank: 12