Founded in 1980, Mark Morris formed the Mark Morris Dance Group (MMDG) and is also called "the preeminent modern dance organization of our time" (Yo-Yo Ma). Morris began to create dances based on the popular music of our time and broke away from the other choreographers of his generation. With the use of live music and community engagement as a key component in he dances, his dancers play the role of the orchestra, mimicking the groupings of voices and instruments. Not only that but the Dance group provides educational opportunities for all ages and abilities in dance and music!