MERCE CUNNINGHAM, ‘RAINFOREST,’ 1968
Two visionaries at work: floating silver pillows from Andy Warhol, and Cunningham’s seemingly disjointed, unexpected movement patterns.
ALVIN AILEY, ‘CRY,’ 1971
Ailey’s masterpiece solo for his oddly beautiful muse, Judith Jamison.
GEORGE BALANCHINE, ‘SYMPHONY IN THREE MOVEMENTS,’ 1972
The most daring piece to come out of City Ballet’s Stravinsky Festival, cementing an iconic partnership between composer and choreographer.
PAUL TAYLOR, ‘ESPLANADE,’ 1975
The irrepressible Taylor’s purity of outlook gets its playful showcase.
TWYLA THARP, ‘PUSH COMES TO SHOVE,’ 1976
The sweet homage to Baryshnikov for ABT established Tharp as a force to be reckoned with in ballet.
TRISHA BROWN, ‘SET AND RESET,’ 1983
A dramatic piece from the bona fide creator of the downtown dance aesthetic.
DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM, ‘CREOLE GISELLE,’ 1984
A reimagined classic that confirmed the reputation of this all-black ballet company.
MARK MORRIS, ‘DIDO AND AENEAS,’ 1989
Dancing two female roles (shocking!), the bad-boy Morris became the newest dance god of New York.
BILL T. JONES, ‘STILL/HERE,’ 1994
An intensely human outlook epitomized in a dance about life in the face of death.