ALWIN NIKOLAISALWIN NIKOLAIS

1910-19931910-1993

*Musician and puppeteer before he began dance career.

*His dances use mixed media before others.

* Born in Southington, Connecticut in 1910.

* Studied Mary Wigman’s technique and also from Hanya Holm.

* Retired from performing in the early 1950’s to devote time to choreography and teaching.

* Formed the Louis- Nikolais Dance Theater lab with Murray Louis, an associate and principal dancer since 1949.

* His company travels with 35 spotlights, 12 projectors, and a sound system.

* He works similar to Cunningham but is also different. Cunningham separates the dance, music and décor. Nikolais composes the music, creates the props, costumes and décor.

* When he works with dancers he relates their movements to the décor and lighting and they must be aware of the environment they will perform in.

*He presents a theater of color and shape. Dancers are sometimes dressed in costumes that alter or blur the lines of the body.

*He can change dancers into flowers, animals, machinery, and back to people.

* No sense of stillness in his dances.