| Robert Ellis has been influential on American choreographers for over thirty-five years. The extent of the cross-disciplinary influences affecting his career as a facilitator in improvisation/choreography were investigated. Dunn's logic and language were organized by the researcher in order to make his approach and contributions accessible for teachers of improvisation/choreography. Methodology included an examination of published and unpublished written sources about Dunn foundational to the personal interviews and video tapes with Dunn which provide structure for his unpublished personal notes. Sources, qualities, and recurrent concepts which characterize Dunn's teaching were identified and his methodology examined and analyzed. The conclusions drawn from the investigation reveal Dunn's basic principles and practical applications offer the choreographer choices for communication and invention. Revealed are the inspirations, influences, concepts, and principles fundamental to his work and the underlying aspects of his impact. |
