Katherine Dunham

Stuart Sweeney · **Posted:** Wed Jan 24, 2001 12:56 am

Quote:

Better late than never! The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation has given the Library of Congress $1 million to support the Katherine Dunham Legacy Project. According to LOC rep Vicky Risner, the project will "purchase archives from Dunham, preserve the materials, and expand educational programs at the Dunham Museum in East Saint Louis, Illinois."

What do people think about this innovative choreographer now?

http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0104/defrantz.shtml

[ 24 September 2003, 03:38 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]

Francis Timlin · **Posted:** Wed Jan 24, 2001 7:54 am

I am thrilled by this project and hope that it may lead to increased interest in reconstruction of Ms. Dunham's work.

Misa_danseuse · **Posted:** Thu Feb 15, 2001 4:02 pm

Wow, I'm just getting around to reading this and am very happy to hear the news! Katherine Dunham is just beginning to emerge back into periodicals and the spotlight where she deserves to be. IT seems that up until a few years ago she had been placed on a back burner (for awhile anyway) which is a shame since her contributions are so great. Having studied Dunham technique, I must say it is one of the heartiest, use-every-muscle-in-your-body techniques I have ever encountered (taking second place only to West African dance). Let's just say that it took my body a month to adjust to my Dunham class after which I would almost collapse from exhaustion and sweat! (in case you're wondering West African dance did the same thin!

)

------------------

"If it's self expression you are looking for the place for you is the analyst's couch" - Merce Cunningham

Azlan · **Posted:** Mon Jun 09, 2003 6:37 am

Quote:

Legend lives on, teaching dance of life only she can

Ron Grossman
Chicago Tribune

After Katherine Dunham addressed a University of Chicago symposium Friday devoted to the life and work of the 93-year old performer, scholar and social activist, scarcely a question was asked. more

Stuart Sweeney · **Posted:** Wed Sep 24, 2003 1:34 am

"You Dance Because You Have To" BBC Radio 3 Program

Thea Nerissa Barnes, dancer, teacher and CriticalDance correspondent researched and introduced a 1 hour programme on Katherine Dunham and Pearl Primus this week. It's well worth a listen, but will probably only be available until Sunday, 28th September, 2003.

Here is the link to the programme on Katherine Dunham and Pearl Primus no longer available

Programme Information

Both Katherine Dunham and Dr Pearl Primus were phenomenal, pioneering
African-Americans who sought the roots of their cultural heritage through
anthropological research. Both were dancers, choreographers, and writers. As Rosenwald
Fellowship recipients, Dunham did her fieldwork in the West Indies/Caribbean in
1936 and Primus pursued her anthropological research in 1949 in West Africa.
They returned to America with the authentic rhythms and dances of Africa and
the Caribbean reinvigorating Africanist dance practices that had been degraded
by years of slavery and then diluted into minstrel shows and vaudeville.

click for more

[ 24 September 2003, 03:49 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]

salzberg · **Posted:** Mon May 22, 2006 4:10 am

Quote:

Katherine Dunham, a pioneering dancer and choreographer, author and civil rights activist who left Broadway to teach culture in one of America's poorest cities, has died. She was 96.

More from the NY Times

Azlan · **Posted:** Mon May 22, 2006 9:48 pm

Quote:

Dunham remembered for legacy well beyond dance

JIM SUHR
Associated Press
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. - Over her 96 years, Katherine Dunham made her mark in many ways - dancer, choreographer, civil rights activist, anthropologist, publisher. more

PS - Excuse the tardiness. I was supposed to cover for LMCtech who nomally does SF papers but I was distracted in NYC.

kurinuku · **Posted:** Tue May 23, 2006 4:43 am

Quote:

Katherine Dunham
by SALLY SOMMER for the Guardian

Everyone knew she was a mambo (a voodoo high priestess). But we were in New York City, it was 1987, she was rehearsing The Magic of Katherine Dunham with the Alvin Ailey dance company, and I had not asked her about zombies. The perfectly timed pronouncement illuminated the depth of her beliefs. She was magical. She knew the spells. She also enjoyed surprises.

published: May 23, 2006

more...

kurinuku · **Posted:** Tue May 23, 2006 7:23 am

Quote:

Dancer and choreographer who triumphantly pioneered musical revues on black themes
by MARILYN HUNT for the Independent

As a performer Dunham is remembered for her lively, joyous and even humorous presence, her beauty of face and figure, and her sexy, glamorous refinement that were said to have brought "sex into the parlour".

published: May 23, 2006

more...

kurinuku · **Posted:** Wed May 24, 2006 4:36 am

Quote:

How Katherine Dunham Revealed Black Dance to the World
by JENNIFER DUNNING for the New York Times

Most of the Ailey dancers did not appreciate Miss Dunham's iron perfectionism or the unusual demands of her technique, a potent but challenging blend of Afro-Caribbean, ballet and modern dance. And she was not the easiest of women. I remember speaking with her before a public interview we were to do in April 1993. Addicted to CNN, she had just learned of the fiery, tragic end to the F.B.I.'s seige of the Branch Davidian compound in in Waco, Tex., that morning, and that was all that she could talk about, off and on the stage, despite her promises to discuss her work.

published: May 23, 2006

more...

kurinuku · **Posted:** Fri Jun 09, 2006 3:52 am

Quote:

Diva pioneered daring blend of choreography
by WILMA SALISBURY for the Cleveland Plain Dealer

"We thought we were doing quite well," Johnson said. Dunham was "impressed with how we did with the exercises and movements. But she had a personal question. She said, 'Look me up in New York - after you've lost 30 pounds.' We cried all the way back to Cleveland."

Johnson lost more than 30 pounds the following year when she was chosen by choreographer Eugene Loring to dance in "Carmen Jones" on Broadway.

"Dunham did ask me to come and see her," Johnson said. "Ora Leake thought I would up and leave 'Carmen Jones' and run to this company. It was THE company. But I chose to stay with 'Carmen Jones.' "

published: June 4, 2006

more...

kurinuku · **Posted:** Thu Jun 15, 2006 1:59 am

THOMAS F. DeFRANTZ asked women connected to Dunham in various degrees how we can continue her work in the Village Voice; published: June 13, 2006.

CriticalDance Forum

Katherine Dunham

Who is online