Katherine Dunham

A detailed Summary of Katherine Dunham

Katherine Dunham is known as of the most influential African American individuals, when it come down to the art of African Dance. Her unprecedented blend of cultural anthropology with the artistic genre of dance in the eartly 1930's produced ground breaking forms of movement in the United states. Dunham established African-American dance as an art in its own. Her professionalism lead the way for many other notable African dancers like Alivin Ailey and Aurthur Mitchell (Beckford, 76).

Dunham lived a middle class life in Glen Ellyn, Illionois, when later a tradject event tore the family apart; her mother died and left her brother Albert Jr. and herself to their father Albert Dunham Sr.. Later fiancial obligations lead Albert Sr. to sell the family's home and accept a job as a travelling salesman. Dunham and her older brother Albert lived with their aunt Lulu, and then later stayed with their first cousin Clara Dunham, and her seventeen year old daughter. Both of the were actresses, who lived in an apartment that was also used as a rehearsal studio for black vaudeville shows, which they were producing. At that young age she was influenced by these talented women in her family and becam

Even that wasn't enough for Dunham. She continued in search of new knowledge about dance. She took her first feild trip to the Caribbean in 1935 to study native dance.(Dominy, 46) The Caribbean nations of Haiti and Jamica provided Dunham with a new insight for new dance moves. The villagers began to trust Dunham and started to invite her to sacred dance rituals. At that time, she was able to adopt to the religion of Voodoo. (Dunham, 60)

Dunham didn't give up She continued to enjoy her profession, and continued to study with her teachers; Madame Ludmilla Speranzeva whose mentoring led Dunham to dance her first leading part in Page's "La Guiablesse" in 1933. (Dominy 54)

In conclusion, Dunham's life and career are miraculous, and although she was not alone, Dunham is perhaps the best known and most influential pioneer of black dance. She wanted to make a point that African-American and African-Caribbean styles are related and powerful components of dance in America. Dunham presents the fact that her life's work is most dedicated to helping people understand and know each other and know themselves. What she has accomplished thus far in her life is truly monumental, but her attitude is one of modesty. I believe that Katherine Dunham has done the most noble of things with dance - she has explored it and used it to enrich the lives of others.It is unlikely that black dancers in this country would have emerged as they have without the efforts of Katherine Dunham "who captured the love and admiration of the whole world of dance."(Emery, 17) Dunham is a dancer, choreographer, writer, anthropologist, and educator and has been called a 'split personality' by dance critic John Martin because of this diversity. Most importantly, "Katherine Dunham is a true humanist who takes seriously the inherent worth of the individual, no matter what class or culture that individual comes from."(Rose, 43)

e int interested in the entertainment world. She later began to go to local shows and performances.(Dominy, 21)

More of Dunham's achievements included opening a Broadway production, in 1962 called: "Bambouche," featuring 14 dancers, singers, and musicians of the Royal Troupe of Morocco, who worked together along with the Dunham co

Some common words found in the essay are:
Katherine Dunham, Manhattan Dunham's, La Guiablesse, Clara Dunham, Paulo Brazil, Los Angeles, Europe Dunham, Foundation Fellowship, Training Center, Children's Workshop, katherine dunham, dunham dancer, dance theater, black dancers, dunham's technique, american dance, beckford 27, company appeared, dancer choreographer, albert jr,

Approximate Word count = 1509
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: People