Simone Forti

Simone Forti (1935-2026) was an Italian-born American dancer, choreographer and artist. Born in Florence, she left Italy with her family in 1938 and grew up in the United States. She studied with Anna Halprin in San Francisco and joined the New York downtown scene around 1959. Her Dance Constructions of 1960-1961, built from everyday actions and simple objects, helped shape postmodern dance and the Judson Dance Theater. Forti worked with musicians throughout her career.