Introduction
Katherine Dunham is a legendary dancer and choreographer whose contributions to the dance culture are admirable and great. She is an important figure to the dance culture because of her revolutionary and transformative choreography in the 1930’s. She revolutionized dance styles in America by investigating and establishing the roots of African and Caribbean dance and rituals and transforming them into critical creative choreography that resonates with all. She also pioneered the use of ethnic and folk choreography by introducing it to mainstream dance styles and fusing them.
Katherine further founded the anthropological dance movement; showing the whole world that Caribbean and African American culture and heritage is marvelous. She finished work on the important Brazilian and Caribbean dance anthropology, establishing it as a new discipline in academics.
Biography
Katherine Dunham native roots are in Chicago where she was born in 1909. Her mother was French-Canadian and her father was African American (Haskins, 1982). She was raised in a religious environment, and she became an avid church-goer. Her love for music and dance took root at her church. Despite her passion for dance, she took a career in teaching and anthropology as per her family’s wish. She pursued her dance passion by enrolling at Ludmilla Speranzeva Dance Theater (Dominy & Huggins, 1992). Her prowess in dancing captured the attention of a foundation which sponsored her lessons in dance. She went to the Caribbean and studied all aspects of dance as well as motivations behind the dance. She found unique artistic and personal resonances in Haiti.
Katherine Dunham established herself as an excellent dancer, a passionate anthropologist, and a skilled choreographer. It is apparent that whatever she involved herself in, she excelled. She fused all three roles with near-magical skill. She brought anthropology into her dance technique and incorporated new dance styles into her choreography.
Katherine Dunham was also a social activist. She fought against racial inequality. She established herself as a formidable force against racial inequality. She used her pieces to highlight racial inequality. She became politically involved in issues of local and international human rights (Donloe, 1993).
Katherine Dunham intended on passing on her well of knowledge. She became a keen writer. She wrote autobiographies of her youth such as Island Possessed, A Touch of Innocence: Memoirs of Childhood, and Kasamance; A Fantasy (Donloe, 1993).
Katherine Dunham established her dance style known as the Dunham Technique. The technique became popular and transformed the world of dance first within the United States then gradually, across the globe.
Katherine Dunham is globally acclaimed for introducing African and Caribbean influences to global dance which was dominated by European styles. She delivered her new techniques to the United States. Her big breakthrough came in February of 1939 when she performed in the “Tropics” and “Jazz Hot” program. The organizers had planned for a one-night event, but the audience reception was tremendously positive. Fans demanded more and Dunham ended up doing 13 weeks. She soon instituted the Katherine Dunham Dance group. The dance group later established into the Katherine Dunham Company which soon became famous for its devotion to African-American as well as Afro-Caribbean dance (Dunham, 1969).
The Dunham Company toured several countries within two decades and captured the hearts of millions of audiences across 57 countries. The performances of the company were markedly dynamic and theatrical. They performed in London at the Prince of Wales Theatre in June of 1948. Dunham choreographed several movies in the 1940’s, without appearing to them. Katherine Dunham established the first African American companies. She set up the K.D School of Arts and Research in New York in 1944. She also opened Dunham School, also in New York, which soon became famous. Great artists such as James Dean and Marlon Brando took classes at the school. She formed the Katherine Dunham School of Dance and Theatre, an all-black company near Times Square in New York City.
The art form of Katherine Dunham
The dance guru developed one of the most famous dance styles and teaching pedagogues, the “Matriarch of Black Dance”. The style combines innovative interpretations of African and Caribbean dances, African rituals, traditional ballet and African American rhythms. The style came to be popularly known as the Dunham dance technique. She developed original works which included song and musical combinations such as the Los Indios, Shango, and Choros.
Dunham’s style provides a feeling of cultural involvement and a different sort of sentimentality. It is more than song and dance. It feels like exposure to a different culture. It provides a feeling of magic and beauty. Dunham’s style exposed the world to a culturally different experience.
Historic events of her time
Katherine Dunham introduced the first modern dance company founded by an African American, the company started as Ballet Nègre (later named), which was a student dance troupe (Osumare, 2010). The company was formed at a time when there were vast cases of racial discrimination and unemployment, Dunham helped these African American youths by recruiting them to her dance company.
It had a number of successful tours in American cities and later made world tours. This company gave a platform to various African American dancers who rose to be successful in the art. Osumare (2010) asserts that the company also got various accolades due to the dancing styles, techniques and choreographies devised by Dunham.
Dunham’s style is marked by highly flexible body movements. She was acclaimed and hailed for her smooth, fluent and versatile choreography. Her vibrant dances established her as an unmatched radiant force. She blended beauty, femininity, and variety (Dunham, 1969). Millions of people around the world, including dance legends Alvin Ailey became Dunham’s student and embraced the Dunham technique. Alvin later established the Ailey Company which up to date keeps Dunham’s works alive.
Katherine Dunham had one of the most distinguished careers any person can ever have. She deserves to be considered a living, breathing, historical hero with massive influences in the lives of others, even posthumously. Her naming as America’s Irreplaceable Dance Treasure, in 2000, is a hallmark of her accomplishments in life.
References
Dominy, J. & Huggins, N. (1992). Katherine Dunham. New York: Chelsea House Publishers.
Donloe, D. (1993). Katherine Dunham. Los Angeles: Melrose Square Pub. Co.
Dunham, K. (1959). A touch of innocence. New York: Harcourt, Brace.
Dunham, K. (1969). Island possessed. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday.
Dunham, K. (1983). Dances of Haiti. [Los Angeles, CA]: Center for Afro-American Studies, University of California, Los Angeles.
Haskins, J. (1982). Katherine Dunham. New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan.
Osumare, H. (2010). Dancing the Black Atlantic: Katherine Dunham’ s Research-to-Performance Method. AmeriQuests, 7(2).
