Moses Pendleton

Moses Pendleton
Name	Moses Pendleton
Birth date	28 March 1949
Birth place	Lyndonville, Vermont, U.S.
Occupation	Dancer, choreographer, director
Known for	Co-founding Pilobolus, founding MOMIX

Moses Pendleton is an American dancer, choreographer, and artistic director renowned for his innovative work in physical theatre and dance. He is best known as a co-founder of the celebrated dance collective Pilobolus and as the founder and artistic director of the acclaimed dance-theatre company MOMIX. His career, spanning over five decades, has been defined by a unique fusion of acrobatics, visual illusion, humor, and surreal imagery, influencing the landscape of contemporary dance worldwide.

Early life and education

Born in rural Lyndonville, Vermont, Pendleton grew up on a dairy farm, an environment that later informed the organic, collaborative, and physically demanding nature of his art. He attended Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, initially on a skiing scholarship with aspirations in cross-country skiing. While at Dartmouth, a transformative encounter with Alison Becker Chase, a professor in the dance program, led him to take a modern dance class. This experience, alongside peers like Robbie Barnett and Lee Harris, ignited his passion for movement. His athletic background profoundly shaped his approach to choreography, emphasizing strength, agility, and unconventional bodily forms.

Career

Pendleton's professional career launched in 1971 when he, along with fellow Dartmouth students Robbie Barnett, Lee Harris, and Steve Johnson, co-founded the dance company Pilobolus. Named after a phototropic fungus, the group quickly gained fame for its inventive, collaborative choreography and athletic dance style. After contributing to Pilobolus's early success and iconic works for over a decade, Pendleton departed in the early 1980s to pursue his own vision. In 1981, he founded MOMIX, a company based in Washington, Connecticut, which he continues to lead as artistic director. With MOMIX, Pendleton expanded his creative scope into large-scale stage productions, often incorporating elaborate props, lighting design, and special effects.

Artistic style and influence

Pendleton's artistic style is a distinctive blend of dance, theatre, and visual art, creating dreamlike, often humorous stage pictures. His work is characterized by intricate body sculpture, partnering that defies traditional ballet lines, and the innovative use of everyday objects as transformative stagecraft elements. Influences range from the surrealism of René Magritte and the physical comedy of Charlie Chaplin to the natural world. This approach has significantly influenced physical theatre companies globally and helped bridge the gap between concert dance and popular entertainment, with his work featured at events like the 1992 Winter Olympics closing ceremony and on television programs such as Saturday Night Live.

Major works and productions

Among Pendleton's most celebrated works with Pilobolus are early pieces like "Pilobolus" and "Untitled." With MOMIX, he has created a prolific repertoire of full-evening productions. Notable works include "Baseball" (1994), a theatrical exploration of America's pastime; "Opus Cactus" (2001), inspired by the landscapes of the Sonoran Desert; and "Botanica" (2009), a seasonal fantasy. Other significant productions are "Lunar Sea," "Alchemia," and "Viva MOMIX," many of which have toured extensively at prestigious venues like the Joyce Theater in New York City and internationally from Teatro alla Scala in Milan to the Sadler's Wells Theatre in London.

Awards and recognition

Throughout his career, Pendleton has received numerous accolades. He earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography for his work on the PBS documentary "The Late Great..." His choreography for the Francis Ford Coppola film "One from the Heart" was also recognized. In 2000, he and MOMIX were awarded a Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism Governor's Award for Excellence in Culture. His contributions to dance have been honored with awards from institutions like the American Choreography Awards and an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, Dartmouth College.

Personal life

Pendleton maintains a relatively private personal life, deeply connected to his artistic work. He has two daughters, Megan Pendleton and Quincy Pendleton. He continues to reside and work primarily in Connecticut, where MOMIX is based. An avid outdoorsman, his passions for skiing, gardening, and the natural environment of New England remain consistent sources of inspiration for his creative projects, reflecting a lifelong synergy between his rural upbringing and his avant-garde artistic output.

Category:American choreographers Category:American male dancers Category:1949 births Category:Living people Category:Dartmouth College alumni Category:People from Lyndonville, Vermont Category:Primetime Emmy Award winners