[1] Judson Dance Theater grew out of a composition class held at Merce Cunningham's studio, taught by Robert Dunn, a musician who had studied experimental music theory with John Cage.
[1] The concert included works by Yvonne Rainer, Steve Paxton, David Gordon, Alex and Deborah Hay, Fred Herko, Elaine Summers, William Davis, and Ruth Emerson.
Drawing inspiration from everyday actions like walking and sitting, the artists aimed to dissolve the line between art and daily life.
The Judson Dance Theater’s aesthetic was “never monolithic; it was deliberately undefined and unrestricted.” [5] Yvonne Rainer’s Trio A, welcomed "anyone who wanted to learn it, skilled and unskilled, trained and untrained, professional and amateur".
By making Trio A available to anyone interested, Rainer questioned the exclusivity of traditional dance and reflected Judson’s inclusive, experimental attitude.
Rainer’s openness to teaching Trio A to a wide audience highlighted Judson’s emphasis on experimentation over perfection, fostering an inclusive atmosphere that aligned with the era’s social and political climate.
[6] The collective nature of Judson further distinguished it from many other dance companies of the time, which tended to center on the vision of a single artistic director.