Died: May 21, 2006. 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. However, it has now became a common practice within the discipline. "[35] Dunham explains that while she admired the narrative quality of ballet technique, she wanted to develop a movement vocabulary that captured the essence of the Afro-Caribbean dancers she worked with during her travels. One of the most significant dancers, artists, and anthropologic figures of the 20th century, Katherine Dunham defied racial and gender boundaries during a . She directed the Katherine Dunham School of Dance in New York, and was artist-in-residence at Southern Illinois University. Dunham Technique was created by Katherine Dunham, a legend in the worlds of dance and anthropology. Katherine Mary Dunham, 22 Jun 1909 - 21 May 2006 Exhibition Label Born Glen Ellyn, Illinois One of the founders of the anthropological dance movement, Katherine Dunham distilled Caribbean and African dance elements into modern American choreography. [49] In fact, that ceremony was not recognized as a legal marriage in the United States, a point of law that would come to trouble them some years later. Her alumni included many future celebrities, such as Eartha Kitt. Katherine Dunham. movement and expression. The Katherine Dunham Museum: Saving the Legacy of a True Renaissance Woman She also appeared in the Broadway musicals "Bal . 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 world-renowned modern dance company exposed audiences to the diversity of dance, and her schools brought dance training and education to a variety of populations sharing her passion and commitment to dance as a medium of cultural communication. In 1921, a short story she wrote when she was 12 years old, called "Come Back to Arizona", was published in volume 2 of The Brownies' Book. Called the Matriarch of Black Dance, her groundbreaking repertoire combined innovative interpretations of Caribbean dances, traditional ballet, African rituals and African American rhythms to create the Dunham Technique, which she performed with her dance troupe in venues around the world. The original two-week engagement was extended by popular demand into a three-month run, after which the company embarked on an extensive tour of the United States and Canada. 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. [1] She is best known for bringing African and Caribbean dance styles to the US. She has been called the "matriarch and queen mother of black dance." [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 was born on June 22, 1909 (age 96) in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, United States. The incident was widely discussed in the Brazilian press and became a hot political issue. Black Joy, Black Power: Dancing the Legacy of Katherine Dunham Radcliffe-Brown, Fred Eggan, and many others that she met in and around the University of Chicago. Regarding her impact and effect he wrote: "The rise of American Negro dance commenced when Katherine Dunham and her company skyrocketed into the Windsor Theater in New York, from Chicago in 1940, and made an indelible stamp on the dance world Miss Dunham opened the doors that made possible the rapid upswing of this dance for the present generation." Writings by and about Katherine Dunham" , Katherine Dunham, 2005. In December 1951, a photo of Dunham dancing with Ismaili Muslim leader Prince Ali Khan at a private party he had hosted for her in Paris appeared in a popular magazine and fueled rumors that the two were romantically linked. VV A. Clark and Sara E. Johnson, editors, Joliet Central High School Yearbook, 1928. . most important pedagogues original work which includes :Batuada. In 1966, she served as a State Department representative for the United States to the first ever World Festival of Negro Arts in Dakar, Senegal. Harrison, Faye V. "Decolonizing Anthropology Moving Further Toward and Anthropology for Liberation." Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. - Pic Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images. Tune in & learn about the inception of. Alumnae include Eartha Kitt, Marlon Brando and Julie Belafonte. Not only did Dunham shed light on the cultural value of black dance, but she clearly contributed to changing perceptions of blacks in America by showing society that as a black woman, she could be an intelligent scholar, a beautiful dancer, and a skilled choreographer. She also continued refining and teaching the Dunham Technique to transmit that knowledge to succeeding generations of dance students. Dunham is credited with introducing international audiences to African aesthetics and establishing African dance as a true art form. [13] The Anthropology department at Chicago in the 1930s and 40s has been described as holistic, interdisciplinary, with a philosophy of liberal humanism, and principles of racial equality and cultural relativity. The recipient of numerous awards, Dunham received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1983 and the National Medal of Arts in 1989. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, . Video footage of Dunham technique classes show a strong emphasis on anatomical alignment, breath, and fluidity. Video. [60], However, this decision did not keep her from engaging with and highly influencing the discipline for the rest of her life and beyond. Katherine Mary Dunham (also known as Kaye Dunn, June 22, 1909 - May 21, 2006) was an American dancer, choreographer, author, educator, and social activist. Katherine Dunham - Trivia, Family, Bio | Famous Birthdays In addition, Dunham conducted special projects for African American high school students in Chicago; was artistic and technical director (196667) to the president of Senegal; and served as artist-in-residence, and later professor, at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, and director of Southern Illinoiss Performing Arts Training Centre and Dynamic Museum in East St. Louis, Illinois. At an early age, Dunham became interested in dance. 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]. Then she traveled to Martinique and to Trinidad and Tobago for short stays, primarily to do an investigation of Shango, the African god who was still considered an important presence in West Indian religious culture. [18] to the Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a master's degree. By Renata Sago. 113 views, 2 likes, 4 loves, 0 comments, 6 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Institute for Dunham Technique Certification: Fun facts about Julie Belafonte brought to you by IDTC! [13], Dunham officially joined the department in 1929 as an anthropology major,[13] while studying dances of the African diaspora. Based on her research in Martinique, this three-part performance integrated elements of a Martinique fighting dance into American ballet. Katherine Dunham and John Pratt married in 1949 to adopt Marie-Christine, a French 14-month-old baby. Dunham early became interested in dance. Although Dunham was offered another grant from the Rockefeller Foundation to pursue her academic studies, she chose dance. [7] The family moved to a predominantly white neighborhood in Joliet, Illinois. This was the beginning of more than 20 years during which Dunham performed with her company almost exclusively outside the United States. The Dunham company's international tours ended in Vienna in 1960. 10 Facts About Katherine Johnson - Mental Floss [9] In high school she joined the Terpsichorean Club and began to learn a kind of modern dance based on the ideas of Europeans [mile Jaques-Dalcroze] and [Rudolf von Laban]. Fun facts. Katherine Dunham (1909-2006) brought African dance aesthetics to the United States, forever influencing modern and jazz dance. [22] Dunham became interested in both writing and dance at a young age. Stormy Weather is a 1943 American musical film produced and released by 20th Century Fox, adapted by Frederick J. Jackson, Ted Koehler and H.S. A key reason for this choice was because she knew that through dance, her work would be able to be accessed by a wider array of audiences; more so than if she continued to limit her work within academia. 2 (2012): 159168. Katherine Dunham on dance anthropology. Two years later she formed an all-Black company, which began touring extensively by 1943. In 1935, Dunham received grants to conduct fieldwork in Trinidad, Jamaica, and Haiti to study Afro-Caribbean dance and other rituals. The program included courses in dance, drama, performing arts, applied skills, humanities, cultural studies, and Caribbean research. THE DIGITAL REPOSITORY FOR THE BLACK EXPERIENCE. First Name Katherine #37. Born in 1909 #28. Died On : May 21, 2006. For several years, Dunham's personal assistant and press promoter was Maya Deren, who later also became interested in Vodun and wrote The Divine Horseman: The Voodoo Gods of Haiti (1953). Dunham herself was quietly involved in both the Voodoo and Orisa communities of the Caribbean and the United States, in particular with the Lucumi tradition. In my mind, it's the most fascinating thing in the world to learn".[19]. Dunham considered some really important and interesting issues, like how class and race issues translate internationally, being accepted into new communities, different types of being black, etc. She was the recipient of a Kennedy Center Honors Award, the Plaque d'Honneur Haitian-American Chamber of Commerce Award, and a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame. . Over her long career, she choreographed more than ninety individual dances. She expressed a hope that time and the "war for tolerance and democracy" (this was during World War II) would bring a change. Ruth Page had written a scenario and choreographed La Guiablesse ("The Devil Woman"), based on a Martinican folk tale in Lafcadio Hearn's Two Years in the French West Indies. She also choreographed and starred in dance sequences in such films as Carnival of Rhythm (1942), Stormy Weather (1943), and Casbah (1947). Dancer Born in Illinois #12. "Katherine Dunham's Dance as Public Anthropology." With choreography characterized by exotic sexuality, both became signature works in the Dunham repertory. 5 Katherine Dunham facts - Katherine dunham used throughout the world choros, rite de passage, los Idies, and. Katherine Dunham facts for kids. Both remained close friends of Dunham for many years, until her death. The Katherine Dunham Company became an incubator for many well known performers, including Archie Savage, Talley Beatty, Janet Collins, Lenwood Morris, Vanoye Aikens, Lucille Ellis, Pearl Reynolds, Camille Yarbrough, Lavinia Williams, and Tommy Gomez. 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. Katherine Dunham Timeline | Articles and Essays | Selections from the Interesting facts. Katherine Dunham in a photograph from around 1945. She was a woman far ahead of her time. The troupe performed a suite of West Indian dances in the first half of the program and a ballet entitled Tropic Death, with Talley Beatty, in the second half. Katherine Dunham. In the 1930s, she did fieldwork in the Caribbean and infused her choreography with the cultures . It was considered one of the best learning centers of its type at the time. 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. There she met John Pratt, an artist and designer and they got married in 1941 until his death in 1986. In the mid-1930s she conducted anthropological research on dance and incorporated her findings into her choreography, blending the rhythms and movements of . While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [6] After her mother died, her father left the children with their aunt Lulu on Chicago's South Side. In 1967, Dunham opened the Performing Arts Training Center (PATC) in East St. Louis in an effort to use the arts to combat poverty and urban unrest. Katherine Mary Dunham was born in Chicago in 1909. Short Biography. Kaiso is an Afro-Caribbean term denoting praise. Dancer, anthropologist, social worker, activist, author. 35 Katherine Dunham Quotes | Kidadl It opened in Chicago in 1933, with a black cast and with Page dancing the title role. One recurring theme that I really . She made world tours as a dancer, choreographer, and director of her own dance company. [3] Dunham was an innovator in African-American modern dance as well as a leader in the field of dance anthropology, or ethnochoreology. 1910-2006. Katherine Dunham Biography for Kids - lottie.com Another fact is that it was the sometime home of the pioneering black American dancer Katherine Dunham. It closed after only 38 performances. Dance is an essential part of life that has always been with me. The company soon embarked on a tour of venues in South America, Europe, and North Africa. Schools inspired by it were later opened in Stockholm, Paris, and Rome by dancers who had been trained by Dunham. Katherine Dunham (born June 22, 1909) [1] was an American dancer, choreographer, and anthropologist [1]. In September 1943, under the management of the impresario Sol Hurok, her troupe opened in Tropical Review at the Martin Beck Theater. In 1949, Dunham returned from international touring with her company for a brief stay in the United States, where she suffered a temporary nervous breakdown after the premature death of her beloved brother Albert. She graduated from Joliet Central High School in 1928, where she played baseball, tennis, basketball, and track; served as vice-president of the French Club, and was on the yearbook staff. [41] The State Department was dismayed by the negative view of American society that the ballet presented to foreign audiences. Katherine Dunham was an African-American dancer and choreographer, producer, author, scholar, anthropologist and Civil Rights activist. Additionally, she was named one of the most influential African American anthropologists. [6][10] While still a high school student, she opened a private dance school for young black children. The impresario Sol Hurok, manager of Dunham's troupe for a time, once had Ms. Dunham's legs insured for $250,000. The highly respected Dance magazine did a feature cover story on Dunham in August 2000 entitled "One-Woman Revolution". Dun ham had one of the most successful dance careers in African-American and European theater of the 20th century, and directed her own dance company for many years. 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. Katherine returnedto to the usa in 1931 miss Dunham met one of. This won international acclaim and is now taught as a modern dance style in many dance schools. Stormy Weather (1943 film) - Wikipedia Despite 13 knee surgeries, Ms. Dunham danced professionally for more than . Katherine Dunham Facts for Kids | KidzSearch.com It was not a success, closing after only eight performances. Katherine Dunham was a rebel among rebels. Her legacy was far-reaching, both in dance and her cultural and social work. Katherine Dunham on Break the FACTS! - YouTube Katherine Dunham, it includes photographs highlighting the many dimensions of Dunham's life and work. There is also a strong emphasis on training dancers in the practices of engaging with polyrhythms by simultaneously moving their upper and lower bodies according to different rhythmic patterns.
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