Simone Forti: key obituary facts
Is Simone Forti dead? Yes. Simone Forti died on July 29, 2026, at age 91.
Cause of death: Simone Forti's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Simone Forti known for?
She was an American dancer and choreographer (born 1935).
More about Simone Forti
Born: 25 March 1935.
Place of birth: Florence.
Gender: female.
Occupation: composer, choreographer, music educator, ballet dancer, dancer, writer, artist, film director.
Nationality: United States.
Education: Reed College.
Awards: Guggenheim Fellowship, Courage Award for the Arts, Anonymous Was A Woman Award.
Also known as: Simone Morris, Simone Whitman, Simone van Riper.
Known for: Work in Postmodern Dance.
Simone Forti, the American postmodern dancer, choreographer and artist whose work helped shape postmodern dance, died on July 29, 2026, aged 91.
Born in Florence on March 25, 1935, she built a career that ranged across dance, writing, composition and film direction. From the 1950s onward, she performed, exhibited and led workshops internationally, first training with Anna Halprin before collaborating with figures including Nam June Paik, Steve Paxton, La Monte Young, Trisha Brown, Robert Morris and others.
Her 1961 Dance Constructions became a landmark in the field, and her involvement with the early Fluxus movement widened her influence. Forti also published several books, among them Handbook in Motion, Oh Tongue, Unbuttoned Sleeves and New Book.