 |
Katherine DunhamAmerican dancer, choreographer, composer, teacher, activist and anthropologist
Date of Birth: 22.06.1909
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- An Explorations in Dance and Anthropology
- Caribbean Influences and Dissertation
- Ballet Nègres: A Pioneering Dance Company
- Hollywood and International Success
- Later Career and Legacy
- A Catalyst for Social Change
- Personal Life and Death
Early Life and Education
Mary Katherine Dunham was born on June 22, 1909, in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Her father, Albert, was an African-American businessman, and her mother, Fanny June, was of mixed race and a schoolteacher. Katherine's early passion for dance led her to attend private dance lessons in her youth.
An Explorations in Dance and Anthropology
After graduating from high school, Dunham moved to Chicago to pursue higher education at the University of Chicago. She soon developed an interest in researching the origins of popular dances like the cakewalk, the Lindy Hop, and the Black Bottom. Her studies flourished under prominent anthropologists of the time, including Robert Redfield, A. R. Radcliffe-Brown, Edward Sapir, and Bronislaw Malinowski.
Caribbean Influences and Dissertation
At Northwestern University, Dunham received a grant to work with Professor Melville Herskovits. In 1939, she presented her dissertation, "Dances of Haiti: Their Social Organization, Classification, Form, and Function." Her experience in the Caribbean, which included Jamaica, Martinique, Trinidad and Tobago, and Haiti, would shape her dance style and research interests.
Ballet Nègres: A Pioneering Dance Company
Dunham's studies included ballet training with Mark Turbyfill and Russian dancer Ludmilla Speranzeva. At 21, she formed the United States' first black ballet company, Ballet Nègres. The successful troupe performed on Broadway in the musical "Cabin in the Sky," had a 20-week run in New York City, and toured nightclubs and theaters in major U.S. cities from 1939 to 1941.
Hollywood and International Success
In 1941, Dunham made her film debut in Stanley Martin's short musical "Carnival of Rhythm," the first color film musical produced in Hollywood. She went on to appear in films such as "Star Spangled Rhythm," "Stormy Weather," "Casbah," "Mambo," and "Música en la noche." Over 20 years of touring exclusively internationally—Europe, North Africa, South America, Australia, and the Far East—saw the dancer visit 57 countries and perform in diverse productions.
Later Career and Legacy
After a successful career on Broadway, at the Metropolitan Opera, and with impresarios Sol Hurok and George Balanchine, Dunham retired from the stage in 1967. Throughout her life, she received numerous honors, including the Albert Schweitzer Music Award, the Kennedy Center Honor, the American Anthropological Association's Distinguished Service Award, and the National Medal of Arts.
A Catalyst for Social Change
Katherine Dunham's impact extended beyond her dance career. She showcased the cultural value of black dance and helped change perceptions of black people in America. As a black woman, she demonstrated the possibility of being a virtuoso dancer, a skilled choreographer, and a dedicated educator. Her legacy as a pioneer in African-American modern dance and an innovator in dance anthropology continues to be celebrated.
Personal Life and Death
On July 10, 1939, Dunham married John Thomas Pratt, a light-skinned man, in a controversial interracial marriage at the time. The couple adopted a daughter, Marie-Christine Dunham Pratt. Katherine Dunham passed away peacefully in her sleep in New York City on May 21, 2006, at the age of 96.
