CRWDSPCR. Photo: Michael Stier

“Crowd spacer” or “crowds pacer”? Cunningham suggested in the program notes for this dance that the vowel-less, digital-ese contraction of its title can be read both ways, pointing to the manner in which technology has both crowded space and quickened pace. This dense and vivid documentary of the same title traces his process of choreographing CRWDSPCR with Life Forms (now known as DanceForms), a software program he helped develop and which he uses to compose complex counterrhythms for the arms, legs, torso, and head. Company dancers are shown learning the intricate steps, while interviews with them reveal their attempts to puzzle out the particularity of Merce movement. Frequent Cunningham collaborator Caplan fashions an engrossing homage to the artist and his dancers.

—Lucy Laird

• Photographed by Caplan. Choreographed by Merce Cunningham. Music by John King. (55 mins, 16mm)

Preceded by short:
Locale (Charles Atlas, U.S., 1979). Carefully choreographed camera movements capture this filmdance, with costumes designed to evoke SMPTE color bars. Music by Takehisa Kosugi. (30 mins, DigiBeta)

• (Total running time: 85 mins, Color, From Archives of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company)