For almost 30 years she maintained the Katherine Dunham Dance Company, the only self-supported American black dance troupe at that time. As celebrities, their voices can have a profound influence on popular culture. Childhood & Early Life. 2 (2020): 259271. Others who attended her school included James Dean, Gregory Peck, Jose Ferrer, Jennifer Jones, Shelley Winters, Sidney Poitier, Shirley MacLaine and Warren Beatty. From the 40s to the 60s, Dunham and her dance troupe toured to 57 countries of the world. 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. Katherine Dunham, was mounted at the Women's Center on the campus. [1] The Dunham Technique is still taught today. He lived on 5 January 1931 and passed away on 1 December 1989. She died a month before her 97th birthday.[53]. Katherine Dunham: The Artist as Activist During World War II. This meant neither of the children were able to settle into a home for a few years. Katherine Dunham's long and remarkable life spanned the fields of anthropology, dance, theater, and inner city social work.As an anthropologist, Dunham studied and lived among the peoples of Haiti and other Caribbean islands; as a dancer and choreographer she combined "primitive" Caribbean dances with . With Dunham in the sultry role of temptress Georgia Brown, the show ran for 20 weeks in New York. She and her company frequently had difficulties finding adequate accommodations while on tour because in many regions of the country, black Americans were not allowed to stay at hotels. Time reported that, "she went on a 47-day hunger strike to protest the U.S.'s forced repatriation of Haitian refugees. . [18] to the Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a master's degree. A highlight of Dunham's later career was the invitation from New York's Metropolitan Opera to stage dances for a new production of Aida, starring soprano Leontyne Price. Grow your vocab the fun way! On one of these visits, during the late 1940s, she purchased a large property of more than seven hectares (approximately 17.3 acres) in the Carrefours suburban area of Port-au-Prince, known as Habitation Leclerc. She was born on June 22, 1909 in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, a small suburb of Chicago, to Albert Millard Dunham, a tailor and dry cleaner, and his wife, Fanny June Dunham. "Katherine Dunham: Decolonizing Anthropology Through African American Dance Pedagogy." The incident was widely discussed in the Brazilian press and became a hot political issue. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 2 (2012): 159168. 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. Died On : May 21, 2006. Katherine Dunham, it includes photographs highlighting the many dimensions of Dunham's life and work. 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. When she was not performing, Dunham and Pratt often visited Haiti for extended stays. Dunham passed away on Sunday, May 21, 2006 at the age of 96. She was the first American dancer to present indigenous forms on a concert stage, the first to sustain a black dance company. She created and performed in works for stage, clubs, and Hollywood films; she started a school and a technique that continue to flourish; she fought unstintingly for racial justice. for teaching dance that is still la'ag'ya , Shange , Veraruzana, nanigo. In 1986 the American Anthropological Association gave her a Distinguished Service Award. International dance icon Katherine Dunham (right,) also an anthropologist, founded an art museum in East St. Louis, IL. Born Katherine Coleman in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia . In 1963, Dunham became the first African-American to choreograph for the Metropolitan Opera. ((Photographer unknown, Courtesy of Missouri History Museum Photograph and Prints collection. Other movies she performed in as a dancer during this period included the Abbott and Costello comedy Pardon My Sarong (1942) and the black musical Stormy Weather (1943), which featured a stellar range of actors, musicians and dancers.[24]. Dunham's mother, Fanny June Dunham (ne Taylor), who was of mixed French-Canadian and Native American heritage. During her studies, Dunham attended a lecture on anthropology, where she was introduced to the concept of dance as a cultural symbol. 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. [3] Dunham was an innovator in African-American modern dance as well as a leader in the field of dance anthropology, or ethnochoreology. Chin, Elizabeth. The company returned to New York. In 2000 she was named one of the first one hundred of "America's Irreplaceable Dance Treasures" by the Dance Heritage Coalition. International Ladies' Garment Workers Union, First Pan-African World Festival of Negro Arts, National Museum of Dance's Mr. & Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney Hall of Fame, "Katherine Dunham | African American dancer, choreographer, and anthropologist", "Timeline: The Katherine Dunham Collection at the Library of Congress (Performing Arts Encyclopedia, The Library of Congress)", "Special Presentation: Katherine Dunham Timeline". "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." Katherine Dunham. In 1964, Dunham settled in East St. Louis, and took up the post of artist-in-residence at Southern Illinois University in nearby Edwardsville. 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. Dancer Born in Illinois #12. By the time she received an M.A. She also choreographed and starred in dance sequences in such films as Carnival of Rhythm (1942), Stormy Weather (1943), and Casbah (1947). The Katherine Dunham Museum is located at 1005 Pennsylvania Avenue, East St. Louis, Illinois. In the summer of 1941, after the national tour of Cabin in the Sky ended, they went to Mexico, where inter-racial marriages were less controversial than in the United States, and engaged in a commitment ceremony on 20 July, which thereafter they gave as the date of their wedding. This gained international headlines and the embarrassed local police officials quickly released her. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The Dunham Technique Ballet African Dancing Her favorite color was platinum Caribbean Dancing Her favorite food was Filet of Sole How she started out Ballet African Dance Caribbean Dance The Dunham Technique wasn't so much as a technique so There, her father ran a dry-cleaning business.[8]. Video. Katherine Mary Dunham (also known as Kaye Dunn, June 22, 1909 - May 21, 2006) was an American dancer, choreographer, author, educator, and social activist. Both remained close friends of Dunham for many years, until her death. Dunham is credited with introducing international audiences to African aesthetics and establishing African dance as a true art form. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Katherine-Dunham, The Kennedy Center - Biography of Katherine Dunham, Katherine Dunham - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). 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. 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. [6] After her mother died, her father left the children with their aunt Lulu on Chicago's South Side. Her legacy was far-reaching, both in dance and her cultural and social work. Example. [14] For example, she was highly influenced both by Sapir's viewpoint on culture being made up of rituals, beliefs, customs and artforms, and by Herkovits' and Redfield's studies highlighting links between African and African American cultural expression. At the height of her career in the 1940s and 1950s, Dunham was renowned throughout Europe and Latin America and was widely popular in the United States. Subsequently, Dunham undertook various choreographic commissions at several venues in the United States and in Europe. Birth date: October 17, 1956. In recognition of her stance, President Aristide later awarded her a medal of Haiti's highest honor. Her choreography and performances made use of a concept within Dance Anthropology called "research-to-performance". [54] Her dance education, while offering cultural resources for dealing with the consequences and realities of living in a racist environment, also brought about feelings of hope and dignity for inspiring her students to contribute positively to their own communities, and spreading essential cultural and spiritual capital within the U.S.[54], Just like her colleague Zora Neale Hurston, Dunham's anthropology inspired the blurring of lines between creative disciplines and anthropology. She directed the Katherine Dunham School of Dance in New York, and was artist-in-residence at Southern Illinois University. While in Haiti, she hasn't only studied Vodun rituals, but also participated and became a mambo, female high priest in the Vodun religion. Dunham, Katherine Mary (1909-2006) By Das, Joanna Dee. for the developing one of the the world performed many of her. Katherine Dunham and John Pratt married in 1949 to adopt Marie-Christine, a French 14-month-old baby. First Name Katherine #37. [12] Jeff Dunham hails from Dallas, Texas. Dunham early became interested in dance. Her dance career was interrupted in 1935 when she received funding from the Rosenwald Foundation which allowed her to travel to Jamaica, Martinique, Trinidad, and Haiti for eighteen months to explore each country's respective dance cultures. At the age of 82, Dunham went on a hunger strike in . Understanding that the fact was due to racial discrimination, she made sure the incident was publicized. Charm Dance from "L'Ag'Ya". She was a pioneer of Dance Anthropology, established methodologies of ethnochoreology, and her work gives essential historical context to current conversations and practices of decolonization within and outside of the discipline of anthropology. Pas de Deux from "L'Ag'Ya". 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. 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. 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. She built her own dance empire and was hailed as the queen of black dance. 8 Katherine Dunham facts. In September 1943, under the management of the impresario Sol Hurok, her troupe opened in Tropical Review at the Martin Beck Theater. 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. In the mid-1950s, Dunham and her company appeared in three films: Mambo (1954), made in Italy; Die Grosse Starparade (1954), made in Germany; and Msica en la Noche (1955), made in Mexico City. Born in 1909 #28. Based on her research in Martinique, this three-part performance integrated elements of a Martinique fighting dance into American ballet. 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. Katherine returnedto to the usa in 1931 miss Dunham met one of. After this well-received performance in 1931, the group was disbanded. Dunham is still taught at widely recognized dance institutions such as The American Dance Festival and The Ailey School. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him. In 1987 she received the Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award, and was also inducted into the. She did this for many reasons. After her company performed successfully, Dunham was chosen as dance director of the Chicago Negro Theater Unit of the Federal Theatre Project. Katherine Dunham in 1956. A photographic exhibit honoring her achievements, entitled Kaiso! Radcliffe-Brown, Edward Sapir, Melville Herskovits, Lloyd Warner and Bronisaw Malinowski. The schools she created helped train such notables as Alvin Ailey and Jerome Robbins in the "Dunham technique." Death . Facts about Alvin Ailey talk about the famous African-American activist and choreographer. Lyndon B. Johnson was in the audience for opening night. ..American Anthropologist.. 112, no. 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. . "Katherine Dunham: Decolonizing Anthropology through African American Dance Pedagogy." [16], After her research tour of the Caribbean in 1935, Dunham returned to Chicago in the late spring of 1936. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, . Among her dancers selected were Marcia McBroom, Dana McBroom, Jean Kelly, and Jesse Oliver. There, he ran a dry cleaning business in a place mostly occupied by white people. Alvin Ailey later produced a tribute for her in 198788 at Carnegie Hall with his American Dance Theater, entitled The Magic of Katherine Dunham. 52 Copy quote. Search input Search submit button. 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. She returned to graduate school and submitted a master's thesis to the anthropology faculty. At the recommendation of her mentor Melville Herskovits, PhB'20a Northwestern University anthropologist and African studies expertDunham's calling cards read both "dancer" and . Katherine Dunham predated, pioneered, and demonstrated new ways of doing and envisioning Anthropology six decades ahead of the discipline. She wanted to know not only how people danced but why they 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. American dancer, choreographer, and anthropologist. She lectured every summer until her death at annual Masters' Seminars in St. Louis, which attracted dance students from around the world. 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. Katherine Dunham (1909-2006) was a world-renowned choreographer who broke many barriers of race and gender, most notably as an African American woman whose dance company toured the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Australia for several decades. Katherine Dunham always had an interest in dance and anthropology so her main goal in life was to combine them. Katherine Dunham on dance anthropology. 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. 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. This initiative drew international publicity to the plight of the Haitian boat-people and U.S. discrimination against them. Katherine Dunham, was published in a limited, numbered edition of 130 copies by the Institute for the Study of Social Change. Katherine Dunham (1909-2006) is revered as one of the great pillars of American dance history. ", 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. After the 1968 riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., Dunham encouraged gang members in the ghetto to come to the center to use drumming and dance to vent their frustrations. Early in 1947 Dunham choreographed the musical play Windy City, which premiered at the Great Northern Theater in Chicago. Dunham's background as an anthropologist gave the dances of the opera a new authenticity. Marlon Brando frequently dropped in to play the bongo drums, and jazz musician Charles Mingus held regular jam sessions with the drummers. Dance is an essential part of life that has always been with me. The program she created runs to this day at the Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities, revolutionizing lives with dance and culture. theatrical designers john pratt. She has been called the "matriarch and queen mother of black dance." New York: Rizzoli, 1989. From the solar system to the world economy to educational games, Fact Monster has the info kids are seeking. Luminaries like Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey and Katherine Dunham began to shape and define what this new genre of dance would be. (Below are 10 Katherine Dunham quotes on positivity. She has been called the "matriarch and queen mother of black dance."[2]. In 1940, she formed the Katherine Dunham Dance Company, which became the premier facility for training dancers. Choreographer. Most Popular #73650. most important pedagogues original work which includes :Batuada. Much of the literature calls upon researchers to go beyond bureaucratic protocols to protect communities from harm, but rather use their research to benefit communities that they work with. 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. By drawing on a vast, never-utilized trove of archival materials along with oral histories, choreographic analysis, and embodied research, Katherine Dunham: Dance and the African Diaspora offers new insight about how this remarkable woman built political solidarity through the arts. 6 Katherine Dunham facts. Example. As I document in my book Katherine Dunham: Dance and the . All rights reserved. Later in the year she opened a cabaret show in Las Vegas, during the first year that the city became a popular entertainment as well as gambling destination. 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].