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Kenneth King (born April 1, 1948) is an Americanpost-modern dancer and choreographer and author who is best known for his experimentation with dance, language, and multimedia. A second-generationJudson Dance Theatre choreographer, much of King's experimental dance repertoire combines different movement styles with dramatic material, characters, and technological advances, emphasizing the importance of the human body through expressionism and symbolism.[1] King is the author ofWriting in Motion: Body--Language--Technology and six novels:Bring on the Phantoms,Red Fog,The Secret Invention,So Much For Posterity, 'The Glass Pond andThe Disappearing Game (Club Lighthouse Publishing).
King was born inFreeport, New York and became interested in theatre and the performing arts early in life after being cast as the lead in a musical production for his kindergarten class. As a child of the commonly referred to “TV Generation," King became extremely fascinated with this new form of entertainment and was intrigued by theatrics behind popular television programs.[2] While in high school, King aspired to be an actor, and during college, although a philosophy major atAntioch College in Ohio, he acted in summer stock productions for three consecutive years starting in 1959. King soon became an apprentice actor atAdelphi College, and it wasn't until after attending a lecture by legendary American dancer and choreographer,Ruth St. Denis, that he became inspired to dance. By the early 1960s he was studying dance full-time. King studied with Sylvia Fort, The New Dance Group, Ballet Arts,Paul Sanasardo, and he also attendedThe Martha Graham School, while studying ballet with Mia Slavenska. By 1966, he was studying with renowned dancersMerce Cunningham and Carolyn Brown.[3]
Much of King's choreographic style is based on the idea of dance being a total theatrical experience.[4] King developed choreography with generally non-technical based movement with a newfound technological approach - incorporating film, machinery, characters, text, speech, lighting, and costumes.[5] His works are often considered to be very personal and an overall poetic experience.[6]
King began performing his own choreography as early as 1964. His first work was titledcup/saucer/two dancers/radio, and featured him and Phoebe Neville.Cup/saucer/two dancers/radio incorporated his experimentation with multimedia and was heavily influenced bypop art.[7] King went on to present works at theaters including The Bridge Theatre,Judson Memorial Church (in association with theJudson Dance Theater and the Judson group), the Gate Theatre, Clark Center for the Performing Arts,The New School, and Washington Square Galleries.[8]
King's later choreographies, such asRAdeoA.C.tiv(ID)ty,DANCE S(P)ELL, andThe Telaxic Synapsulator contained more technical dancing in comparison to some of his earlier pieces. King described the change by saying, “in the dance field there are all kinds of ways bodies make signals, or signs.”[9]
King collaborated with a number of artists throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Before his dance career took off, King worked with filmmakersAndy Warhol,Gregory Markopoulos andJonas Mekas. Some major works includem-o-o-n-b-r-a-i-n with SuperLecture (1966) andPRINT-OUT (1967). Both of these works incorporate film and projections with dance. In addition to hiscup/saucer/two dancers/radio partner, Phoebe Neville, some of his colleagues includedMeredith Monk, Gus Solomons Jr., Elizabeth Keen, Laura Dean, .[10]
