When Merce Cunningham first started presenting his work in art galleries, pulling apart dances and scrambling their sections, it was a radical thing to do to dance qua dance. But in the early postwar era, it wasn’t so apparent what a significant change Cunningham (1919-2009) made in the where of dance—the venues where his choreography was performed. The gallery offered more than walls for paintings and pedestals for sculpture—it was a series of spaces that could hold dancing or watching or both. For a series called The Merce Cunningham minEvent Project, the student company from Cornish College (Cunningham’s alma mater) has been mixing and matching his kinetic material with various locations. This morning, the dancers will offer a tour of the Paramount, whose grand old stairs, balconies, and lobby will offer a stately backdrop to excerpts from Cunningham’s Roaratorio, Fabrications, and Enter. Other venues include ACT (tonight and Saturday), SAM, and the Olympic Sculpture Park. SANDRA KURTZ

Fri., Feb. 4, 10 a.m., 2011