Katherine Dunham
Born: June 22, 1909
Died: May 21, 2006
Katherine Dunham always had an interest in dance and anthropology so her main goal in life was to combine them. She wanted to know not only how people danced but why they dance. Through much study and time, she eventually became one of the founders of the field of dance anthropology. In 1937 when she returned from West Indies to America, she began to incorporate African and Caribbean movement in her technique.
Died: May 21, 2006
Katherine Dunham always had an interest in dance and anthropology so her main goal in life was to combine them. She wanted to know not only how people danced but why they dance. Through much study and time, she eventually became one of the founders of the field of dance anthropology. In 1937 when she returned from West Indies to America, she began to incorporate African and Caribbean movement in her technique.
Katherine Dunham's technique includes both ballet and modern dance. Her style of dance is described as, "a style of dance that involved a loose torso and spine, articulated pelvis and isolation of the limbs." Although she was not considered a jazz dancer, her fieldwork, choreography and the Dunham technique have greatly influenced jazz dance. Alvin Ailey is considered as the person that was most influenced by Katherine Dunham's technique. Ailey said that he became interested in dance as a professional career at the age of 14, when he saw a performance by the Katherine Dunham Company. He called the Dunham technique, "The closest thing to a unified Afro-American dance existing."
"I think people have lost something - the idea of what dance is. Everybody seems to be in it for matter of personal pleausre, but there is more to it than that, such as expressing your culture, expressing the meaning of your life, the meaning of the people you came from, your family, and your roots, and that kind of thing. Dance does this, it's in there, we just have to take it out and use it." -Katherine Dunham
The Legacy of Katherine Dunham
Katherine Dunham's contributions have been felt all across the dance world. Her technique has influenced other techniques, dancers, and choreographers. "She paved the way for many other dancers and choreographers during a time when opportunities were limited for African-American artists, and showed them what was possible. She showcased the value of cultural dance, which inspired generations of dancers to create a new picture of American dance."