used throughout the world choros, rite de passage, los Idies, and. [10], After completing her studies at Joliet Junior College in 1928, Dunham moved to Chicago to join her brother Albert at the University of Chicago. The following year, she moved to East St. Louis, where she opened the Performing Arts Training Center to help the underserved community. "Between Primitivism and Diaspora: The Dance Performances of Josephine Baker, Zora Neale Hurston, and Katherine Dunham". She is a celebrity dancer. She had one of the most successful dance careers in Western dance theatre in the 20th century and directed her own dance company for many years. "What Dunham gave modern dance was a coherent lexicon of African and Caribbean styles of movementa flexible torso and spine, articulated pelvis and isolation of the limbs, a polyrhythmic strategy of movingwhich she integrated with techniques of ballet and modern dance." Her father, Albert Millard Dunham, was a descendant of slaves from West Africa and Madagascar. About Miss Dunham - Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities teaches us about the impact Katherine Dunham left on the dance community & on the world. In the 1970s, scholars of Anthropology such as Dell Hymes and William S. Willis began to discuss Anthropology's participation in scientific colonialism. A short biography on the legendary Katherine Dunham.All information found at: kdcah.org Enjoy the short history lesson and visit dancingindarkskin.com for mo. Each procession builds on the last and focuses on conditioning the body to prepare for specific exercises that come later. In 1950, Sol Hurok presented Katherine Dunham and Her Company in a dance revue at the Broadway Theater in New York, with a program composed of some of Dunham's best works. Alvin Ailey later produced a tribute for her in 198788 at Carnegie Hall with his American Dance Theater, entitled The Magic of Katherine Dunham. According to the Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities, Dunham never thought she'd have a career in dance, although she did study with ballerina and choreographer Ruth Page, among others. Her legacy was far-reaching, both in dance and her cultural and social work. One recurring theme that I really . Katherine Dunham, June 22, Katherine Dunham was born to a French -Canadian woman and an African American man in the state of Chicago in America, Her birthday was 22nd June in the year 1909. . After noticing that Katherine enjoyed working and socializing with people, her brother suggested that she study Anthropology. Childhood & Early Life. Legendary dancer, choreographer and anthropologist Katherine Dunham was born June 22, 1909, to an African American father and French-Canadian mother who died when she was young. This initiative drew international publicity to the plight of the Haitian boat-people and U.S. discrimination against them. Chin, Elizabeth. In 1963, Dunham became the first African-American to choreograph for the Metropolitan Opera. Despite 13 knee surgeries, Ms. Dunham danced professionally for more than . The first work, entitled A Touch of Innocence: Memoirs of Childhood, was published in 1959. A Short Danceography: Katherine Dunham - YouTube Her alumni included many future celebrities, such as Eartha Kitt. 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190264871.003.0001, "Dunham Technique: Fall and recovery with body roll", "Katherine Dunham on need for Dunham Technique", "The Negro Problem in a Class Society: 19511960 Brazil", "Katherine Dunham, Dance Icon, Dies at 96", "Candace Award Recipients 19821990, Page 1", "Katherine the Great: 2004 Lifetime Achievement Awardee Katherine Dunham", Katherine Dunham's Dance as Public Anthropology, Katherine Dunham on her anthropological films, Guide to the Photograph Collection on Katherine Dunham, Katherine Dunham's oral history video excerpts, "Katherine Dunham on Overcoming 1940s Racism", Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities, Recalling Choreographer and Activist Dunham, "How Katherine Dunham Revealed Black Dance to the World", Katherine Dunham, Dance Pioneer, Dies at 96, "On Stage and Backstage withTalented Katherine Dunham, Master Dance Designer", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Katherine_Dunham&oldid=1139015494, American people of French-Canadian descent, 20th-century African-American politicians, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox person with multiple spouses, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, In 1971 she received the Heritage Award from the, In 1983 she was a recipient of one of the highest artistic awards in the United States, the. In 1986 the American Anthropological Association gave her a Distinguished Service Award. Anthropology News 33, no. Her work inspired many. Together, they produced the first version of her dance composition L'Ag'Ya, which premiered on January 27, 1938, as a part of the Federal Theater Project in Chicago. One of her fellow professors, with whom she collaborated, was architect Buckminster Fuller. April 30, 2019. Dunham ended her fast only after exiled Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide and Jesse Jackson came to her and personally requested that she stop risking her life for this cause. Although it was well received by the audience, local censors feared that the revealing costumes and provocative dances might compromise public morals. The highly respected Dance magazine did a feature cover story on Dunham in August 2000 entitled "One-Woman Revolution". "The Case for Letting Anthropology Burn: Sociocultural Anthropology in 2019." [37] One historian noted that "during the course of the tour, Dunham and the troupe had recurrent problems with racial discrimination, leading her to a posture of militancy which was to characterize her subsequent career."[38]. [61][62][63][64] During this time, in addition to Dunham, numerous Black women such as Zora Neal Hurston, Caroline Bond Day, Irene Diggs, and Erna Brodber were also working to transform the discipline into an anthropology of liberation: employing critical and creative cultural production.[54]. Katherine Dunham Quotes On Positivity. After running it as a tourist spot, with Vodun dancing as entertainment, in the early 1960s, she sold it to a French entrepreneur in the early 1970s. Dunham, who died at the age of 96 [in 2006], was an anthropologist and political activist, especially on behalf of the rights of black people. What are some fun facts about Katherine Dunham? "In introducing authentic African dance-movements to her company and audiences, Dunhamperhaps more than any other choreographer of the timeexploded the possibilities of modern dance expression.". Transforming Anthropology 20 (2012): 159168. Katherine Dunham, Dance Icon, Dies at 96 - The New York Times [15] Dunham's relationship with Redfield in particular was highly influential. The Washington Post called her "dancer Katherine the Great." Named Marie-Christine Dunham Pratt, she was their only child. Katherine Dunham - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia As this show continued its run at the Windsor Theater, Dunham booked her own company in the theater for a Sunday performance. ", Kraut, Anthea, "Between Primitivism and Diaspora: The Dance Performances of, This page was last edited on 12 February 2023, at 22:48. One of the most important dance artists of the twentieth century, dancer and choreographer Katherine Dunham (1909-2006) created works that thrilled audiences the world over. Her technique was "a way of life". A actor. With Dunham in the sultry role of temptress Georgia Brown, the show ran for 20 weeks in New York. Dancers are frequently instructed to place weight on the balls of their feet, lengthen their lumbar and cervical spines, and breathe from the abdomen and not the chest. Katherine Dunham on dance anthropology. Subsequently, Dunham undertook various choreographic commissions at several venues in the United States and in Europe. Many of Dunham students who attended free public classes in East St. Louis Illinois speak highly about the influence of her open technique classes and artistic presence in the city. Zombies, The Third Person, Intelligent Dancers, and Katherine Dunham . Never completing her required coursework for her graduate degree, she departed for Broadway and Hollywood. Fun Facts. The critics acknowledged the historical research she did on dance in ancient Egypt, but they were not appreciative of her choreography as staged for this production.[25]. In my mind, it's the most fascinating thing in the world to learn".[19]. Katherine Dunham introduced African and Caribbean rhythms to modern dance. Please scroll down to enjoy more supporting materials. One of the most significant dancers, artists, and anthropologic figures of the 20th century, Katherine Dunham defied racial and gender boundaries during a . Dunham was both a popular entertainer and a serious artist intent on tracing the roots of Black culture. The recipient of numerous awards, Dunham received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1983 and the National Medal of Arts in 1989. ", Examples include: The Ballet in film "Stormy Weather" (Stone 1943) and "Mambo" (Rossen 1954). On graduating with a bachelors degree in anthropology she undertook field studies in the Caribbean and in Brazil. The Black Tradition in American Modern Dance. But what set her work even further apart from Martha Graham and Jos Limn was her fusion of that foundation with Afro-Caribbean styles. [28] Strongly founded in her anthropological research in the Caribbean, Dunham technique introduces rhythm as the backbone of various widely known modern dance principles including contraction and release,[29] groundedness, fall and recover,[30] counterbalance, and many more. Katherine Dunham Biography, Life, Interesting Facts By Renata Sago. Dunham's mother, Fanny June Dunham (ne Taylor), who was of mixed French-Canadian and Native American heritage. American dancer, choreographer, and anthropologist. Birth Year: 1956. In 1945, Dunham opened and directed the Katherine Dunham School of Dance and Theatre near Times Square in New York City. "Katherine Dunham: Decolonizing Anthropology through African American Dance Pedagogy." : Writings by and About Katherine Dunham. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, . Occupation(s): About that time Dunham met and began to work with John Thomas Pratt, a Canadian who had become one of America's most renowned costume and theatrical set designers. Inspiring dancers: Ms Katherine Dunham - (Un)popular Cultures She is known for her many innovations, one of her most known . In 1967 she officially retired, after presenting a final show at the famous Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York. Katherine Dunham: legendary dancer who founded the 1st American black When she was not performing, Dunham and Pratt often visited Haiti for extended stays. Katherine Dunham. The next year the production was repeated with Katherine Dunham in the lead and with students from Dunham's Negro Dance Group in the ensemble. movement and expression. Name: Mae C. Jemison. On February 22, 2022, Selkirk will offer a unique, one-lot auction titled, Divine Technique: Katherine Dunham Ephemera And Documents. Harrison, Faye V. "Decolonizing Anthropology Moving Further Toward and Anthropology for Liberation." After Mexico, Dunham began touring in Europe, where she was an immediate sensation. Katherine Dunham Helped Teach the World to Dance : NPR In 1947 it was expanded and granted a charter as the Katherine Dunham School of Cultural Arts. Katherine Dunham (born June 22, 1909) [1] [2] was an American dancer, choreographer, and anthropologist. As Wendy Perron wrote, "Jazz dance, 'fusion,' and the search for our cultural identity all have their antecedents in Dunham's work as a dancer, choreographer, and anthropologist. ", Richard Buckle, ballet historian and critic, wrote: "Her company of magnificent dancers and musicians met with the success it has and that herself as explorer, thinker, inventor, organizer, and dancer should have reached a place in the estimation of the world, has done more than a million pamphlets could for the service of her people. In 1935, Dunham received grants to conduct fieldwork in Trinidad, Jamaica, and Haiti to study Afro-Caribbean dance and other rituals. Episode 5 of Break the FACTS! At the age of 82, Dunham went on a hunger strike in . Through her ballet teachers, she was also exposed to Spanish, East Indian, Javanese, and Balinese dance forms.[23]. Dunham is still taught at widely recognized dance institutions such as The American Dance Festival and The Ailey School. She majored in anthropology at the University of Chicago, and after learning that much of Black . Updates? . The incident was widely discussed in the Brazilian press and became a hot political issue. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, . In 1963 Dunham was commissioned to choreograph Aida at New York's Metropolitan Opera Company, with Leontyne Price in the title role. [12] In 1976, Dunham was guest artist-in-residence and lecturer for Afro-American studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Katherine Dunham, pseudonym Kaye Dunn, (born June 22, 1909, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, U.S.died May 21, 2006, New York, New York), American dancer and choreographer who was a pioneer in the field of dance anthropology. By 1957, Dunham was under severe personal strain, which was affecting her health. (She later wrote Journey to Accompong, a book describing her experiences there.) Even in retirement Dunham continued to choreograph: one of her major works was directing the premiere full, posthumous production Scott Joplin's opera Treemonisha in 1972, a joint production of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Morehouse College chorus in Atlanta, conducted by Robert Shaw. Among Dunham's closest friends and colleagues was Julie Robinson, formerly a performer with the Katherine Dunham Company, and her husband, singer and later political activist Harry Belafonte. Dunham was exposed to sacred ritual dances performed by people on the islands of Haiti and Jamaica. She felt it was necessary to use the knowledge she gained in her research to acknowledge that Africanist esthetics are significant to the cultural equation in American dance. It closed after only 38 performances. Katherine Mary Dunham (June 22, 1909 - May 21, 2006) was an American dancer, choreographer, creator of the Dunham Technique, author, educator, anthropologist, and social activist.
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