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. The following year, she moved to East St. Louis, where she opened the Performing Arts Training Center to help the underserved community. A fictional work based on her African experiences, Kasamance: A Fantasy, was published in 1974. Dancer. [15], In 1935, Dunham was awarded travel fellowships from the Julius Rosenwald and Guggenheim foundations to conduct ethnographic fieldwork in Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, and Trinidad studying the dance forms of the Caribbean. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, . He had been a promising philosophy professor at Howard University and a protg of Alfred North Whitehead. [54], Six decades before this new wave of anthropological discourse began, Katherine Dunham's work demonstrated anthropology being used as a force for challenging racist and colonial ideologies. Dunham's dance career first began in Chicago when she joined the Little Theater Company of Harper Avenue. [16], After her research tour of the Caribbean in 1935, Dunham returned to Chicago in the late spring of 1936. The living Dunham tradition has persisted. 2 (2020): 259271. Most Popular #73650. Katherine Dunham in 1956. In September 1943, under the management of the impresario Sol Hurok, her troupe opened in Tropical Review at the Martin Beck Theater. However, fully aware of her passion for both dance performance, as well as anthropological research, she felt she had to choose between the two. 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. As a choreographer, anthropologist, educator, and activist, Katherine Dunham transformed the field of dance in the twentieth century. Unlike other modern dance creators who eschewed classical ballet, Dunham embraced it as a foundation for her technique. New York City, U.S. Her work helped send astronauts to the . 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. Episode 5 of Break the FACTS! 1910-2006. Our site is COPPA and kidSAFE-certified, so you can rest assured it's a safe place for kids . Occupation(s): As one of her biographers, Joyce Aschenbrenner, wrote: "anthropology became a life-way"[2] for Dunham. As one of her biographers, Joyce Aschenbrenner, wrote: "Today, it is safe to say, there is no American black dancer who has not been influenced by the Dunham Technique, unless he or she works entirely within a classical genre",[2] and the Dunham Technique is still taught to anyone who studies modern dance. 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." In response, the Afonso Arinos law was passed in 1951 that made racial discrimination in public places a felony in Brazil.[42][43][44][45][46][47]. She is known for her many innovations, one of her most known . Charm Dance from "L'Ag'Ya". American dancer, choreographer, and anthropologist. In 1963, she became the first African American to choreograph for the Met since Hemsley Winfield set the dances for The Emperor Jones in 1933. During her studies, Dunham attended a lecture on anthropology, where she was introduced to the concept of dance as a cultural symbol. Based on this success, the entire company was engaged for the 1940 Broadway production Cabin in the Sky, staged by George Balanchine and starring Ethel Waters. Birth Country: United States. In 1947 it was expanded and granted a charter as the Katherine Dunham School of Cultural Arts. 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. Katherine Dunham, it includes photographs highlighting the many dimensions of Dunham's life and work. In 2000 Katherine Dunham was named America's irreplaceable Dance Treasure. Cruz Banks, Ojeya. 2 (2012): 159168. In 1940, she formed the Katherine Dunham Dance Company, which became the premier facility for training dancers. 8 Katherine Dunham facts. Born: June 22, 1909. In 1986 the American Anthropological Association gave her a Distinguished Service Award. Birth Year: 1956. Early in 1936, she arrived in Haiti, where she remained for several months, the first of her many extended stays in that country through her life. 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. 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! Katherine Dunham, was published in a limited, numbered edition of 130 copies by the Institute for the Study of Social Change. Gender: Female. Grow your vocab the fun way! Receiving a post graduate academic fellowship, she went to the Caribbean to study the African diaspora, ethnography and local dance. In her biography, Joyce Aschenbrenner (2002), credits Ms Dunham as the "matriarch and queen mother of black dance", and describes her work as: "fundamentally . A continuation based on her experiences in Haiti, Island Possessed, was published in 1969. The program included courses in dance, drama, performing arts, applied skills, humanities, cultural studies, and Caribbean research. 1. As I document in my book Katherine Dunham: Dance and the . She has been called the "matriarch and queen mother of black dance." For almost 30 years she maintained the Katherine Dunham Dance Company, the only self-supported American black dance troupe at that time. 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]. Dunham, Katherine Mary (1909-2006) By Das, Joanna Dee. In 1945, Dunham opened and directed the Katherine Dunham School of Dance and Theatre near Times Square in New York City. 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. Such visitors included ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax, novelist and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston, Robert Redfield, Bronisaw Malinowski, A.R. Dancer Born in Illinois #12. In particular, Dunham is a model for the artist as activist. Dunham early became interested in dance. Childhood & Early Life. (She later wrote Journey to Accompong, a book describing her experiences there.) 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. Many of her students, trained in her studios in Chicago and New York City, became prominent in the field of modern dance. [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. At an early age, Dunham became interested in dance. [18] to the Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a master's degree. Her father was of black ancestry, a descendant of slaves from West Africa and Madagascar, while her mother belonged to mixed French-Canadian and Native . 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. It was a huge collection of writings by and about Katherine Dunham, so it naturally covered a lot of area. Example. As a result, Dunham would later experience some diplomatic "difficulties" on her tours. Dunham created many all-black dance groups. "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.". The 1940s and 1950s saw the successors to the pioneers, give rise to such new stylistic variations through the work of artistic giants such as Jos Limn and Merce Cunningham. Birthday : June 22, 1909. 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. Later Dunham established a second home in Senegal, and she occasionally returned there to scout for talented African musicians and dancers. [15] He showed her the connection between dance and social life giving her the momentum to explore a new area of anthropology, which she later termed "Dance Anthropology". 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. Her field work in the Caribbean began in Jamaica, where she lived for several months in the remote Maroon village of Accompong, deep in the mountains of Cockpit Country. ", 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. What are some fun facts about Katherine Dunham? Dunham had one of the most successful dance careers of the 20th century, and directed her own dance company for many years. Understanding that the fact was due to racial discrimination, she made sure the incident was publicized. The Dunham company's international tours ended in Vienna in 1960. [54] After recovering crucial dance epistemologies relevant to people of the African diaspora during her ethnographic research, she applied anthropological knowledge toward developing her own dance pedagogy (Dunham Technique) that worked to reconcile with the legacy of colonization and racism and correct sociocultural injustices. Upon returning to Chicago, the company performed at the Goodman Theater and at the Abraham Lincoln Center. 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). 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. Dunham technique is also inviting to the influence of cultural movement languages outside of dance including karate and capoeira.[36]. From the beginning of their association, around 1938, Pratt designed the sets and every costume Dunham ever wore. In 2004 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from, In 2005, she was awarded "Outstanding Leadership in Dance Research" by the. (She later took a Ph.D. in anthropology.) . 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. Dunham is a ventriloquist comedian and uses seven different puppets in his act, known by his fans as the "suitcase posse." His first Comedy Central Presents special premiered in 2003. New York: Rizzoli, 1989. Katherine Dunham. Book. [11], During her time in Chicago, Dunham enjoyed holding social gatherings and inviting visitors to her apartment. Updates? forming a powerful personal. At this time Dunham first became associated with designer John Pratt, whom she later married. Claude Conyers, "Film Choreography by Katherine Dunham, 19391964," in Clark and Johnson. The PATC teaching staff was made up of former members of Dunham's touring company, as well as local residents. The next year, after the US entered World War II, Dunham appeared in the Paramount musical film Star Spangled Rhythm (1942) in a specialty number, "Sharp as a Tack," with Eddie "Rochester" Anderson. At the time, the South Side of Chicago was experiencing the effects of the Great Migration were Black southerners attempted to escape the Jim Crow South and poverty. 30 seconds. Dunham Technique was created by Katherine Dunham, a legend in the worlds of dance and anthropology. The Black Tradition in American Modern Dance. 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. She has been called the "matriarch and queen mother of black dance."[2]. VV A. Clark and Sara E. Johnson, editors, Joliet Central High School Yearbook, 1928. 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. ", Scholar of the arts Harold Cruse wrote in 1964: "Her early and lifelong search for meaning and artistic values for black people, as well as for all peoples, has motivated, created opportunities for, and launched careers for generations of young black artists Afro-American dance was usually in the avant-garde of modern dance Dunham's entire career spans the period of the emergence of Afro-American dance as a serious art. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The Katherine Dunham Museum is located at 1005 Pennsylvania Avenue, East St. Louis, Illinois. 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. However, she did not seriously pursue a career in the profession until she was a student at the University of Chicago. Dunham technique is a codified dance training technique developed by Katherine Dunham in the mid 20th century. Known for her many innovations, Dunham developed a dance pedagogy, later named the Dunham Technique, a style of movement and exercises based in traditional African dances, to support her choreography. Through much study and time, she eventually became one of the founders of the field of dance anthropology. Video. Lyndon B. Johnson was in the audience for opening night. Omissions? Anthropology News 33, no. After her company performed successfully, Dunham was chosen as dance director of the Chicago Negro Theater Unit of the Federal Theatre Project. until hia death in the 1986. 1. There, her father ran a dry-cleaning business.[8]. This won international acclaim and is now taught as a modern dance style in many dance schools. Corrections? Her fieldwork inspired her innovative interpretations of dance in the Caribbean, South America, and Africa. Dunhams writings, sometimes published under the pseudonym Kaye Dunn, include Katherine Dunhams Journey to Accompong (1946), an account of her anthropological studies in Jamaica; A Touch of Innocence (1959), an autobiography; Island Possessed (1969); and several articles for popular and scholarly journals. In 1937 she traveled with them to New York to take part in A Negro Dance Evening, organized by Edna Guy at the 92nd Street YMHA. American dancer and choreographer (19092006). [26] This work was never produced in Joplin's lifetime, but since the 1970s, it has been successfully produced in many venues. The Katherine Dunham Company toured throughout North America in the mid-1940s, performing as well in the racially segregated South. most important pedagogues original work which includes :Batuada. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Schools inspired by it were later opened in Stockholm, Paris, and Rome by dancers who had been trained by Dunham. [54] Her legacy within Anthropology and Dance Anthropology continues to shine with each new day. "[48] During her protest, Dick Gregory led a non-stop vigil at her home, where many disparate personalities came to show their respect, such Debbie Allen, Jonathan Demme, and Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam. 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. Dunham was always a formidable advocate for racial equality, boycotting segregated venues in the United States and using her performances to highlight discrimination.
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katherine dunham fun facts