fagan worked at several dance companies in detroit, and moved to rochester new york in 1970, and there established his dance company originally named the "bottom of the bucket but ... dance theatre" in 1970. he was a professor, at state university of new york, brockport starting in 1970. fagan choreographed for the dance theatre of harlem, the alvin ailey american dance theater, and the limón dance company in the 1970s. he has studied the works of isadora duncan, martha graham, pearl primus, alvin ailey, josé limón, and katherine dunham. he is also influenced by caribbean and west african dances.